Saskatchewan Seeding Rate Slips

REGINA - May 9/06 - SNS -- The pace of seeding this year's crops slipped behind the recent average and last year, with 9% now in the ground, down from 16% last year and the recent average of 11% complete by the end of the first week of May, reports Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.

Seeding is most advanced in the southwest, where 27% of the crop has been planted. Farmers have seeded 8% of the crop in the southeast, and 4% in the west central region. The remaining areas have less than 3% of the crop seeded.

Some south western areas received precipitation last week, which helped improve topsoil moisture conditions. Overall, topsoil moisture conditions on crop land are similar to last week, with just over one quarter of crop reporters indicating surplus topsoil moisture conditions and just over two-thirds indicating adequate topsoil moisture conditions on crop land. In north eastern and east central regions, more than half of the reporters continue to report surplus moisture.

Across the province, 2% of the winter wheat and 3% of the fall rye were reported as winterkilled. Many farmers reported that damage came from flooding this spring. Pre-seeding fieldwork continues as weather permits.

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