Crops across the province are advancing nicely, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report.  Eighty-one per cent of fall cereals, 77 per cent of spring cereals, 75 per cent of oilseeds and 79 per cent of pulse crops are at their normal stages of development for this time of year.  The condition of the majority of crops ranges from fair to excellent.
 
A week of wild weather has brought much-needed moisture to many areas of the province; however, strong winds and hail storms have caused severe damage to fields.  Rainfall ranged from trace amounts to 72 mm in the Rhein area.  The Whitewood area reported 41 mm of rain, the Mossbank area 38 mm, the Harris area 52 mm, the Nipawin area 64 mm and the Frenchman Butte area 31 mm.  Some areas in the southwestern and west-central areas are still in need of significant rain to help crops develop and fill.
Among the conditions having their effect on the crops was a heat wave that swept across the southeast corner of the province, prompting heat warnings from Environment Canada for nearly a week.
"It's forcing the crops along in maturity, which could be good or could be bad, it's hard to say. It could be good as far as getting the crop maturing faster due to the later spring that we had, but sometimes if it moves along too quickly it can reduce yield potential," stated Brent Flaten, a Cropping Management Specialist with Sask Agriculture.
"That's what we're finding, especially in canola, where you get heat blasting of the flowers. Canola is probably the most sensitive as far as heat blasting when it's blossoming. You'll get blank, unfertilized pods along the main stems, and then once it cools off and you've got some moisture they'll start filling again, and you get this layering effect."
"Definately, when it's canola, (temperatures) well into the thirties are not conducive to great yield potential," he added.
Provincially, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as three per cent surplus, 59 per cent adequate, 32 per cent short and six per cent very short.  Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as two per cent surplus, 52 per cent adequate, 32 per cent short and 14 per cent very short.
Livestock producers are busy haying, although there have been frequent delays due to rain and high humidity.  Twenty-two per cent of the hay crop has been cut and 26 per cent baled or put into silage.  Hay quality at this time is rated as eight per cent excellent, 62 per cent good, 27 per cent fair and two per cent poor.  Many swaths are significantly smaller than normal and pasture growth has been limited in some areas.
Producers have been applying fungicides for diseases such as sclerotinia in canola and fusarium head blight in cereals.  High temperatures and lack of rain continue to damage crops in many areas of the province.  Other sources of crop damage this week include localized flooding, strong winds and hail.  Leaf spot diseases and root rot have also caused some damage.