Alberta 2001 Crop Season in Review With Feed and Harvest Summary Report

The 2001 Crop Season

In the spring of 2001, erosion problems due to winter runoff were limited, but strong winds caused soil erosion in the Southern Region and many other areas. Winterkill in forages and forage seeds was also reported in the Peace, North East and North West Regions, with some fields being reseeded.

Dry conditions in the spring allowed seeding to progress rapidly. By the end of May, seeding was basically completed except for cereal crops intended for green feed and silage. However, lack of germination due to dryness and/or field damage from high winds resulted in many fields being reseeded. A total of 740,000 acres were reseeded in late May and early June, according to a survey of provincial specialists in June. Crops reseeded were mainly canola, spring wheat, barley and durum in the Southern Region and eastern areas of the Central Region. About 60% of reseeded fields were seeded to barley. The reseeding and dryness in the spring, in addition to a less favorable market outlook at the seeding time, were mainly responsible for a substantial decline in canola acreage in 2001. Summerfallow area and acreage for green feed and silage increased from a year ago.

In the first two weeks of June, rain showers provided much needed moisture across Alberta, and also brought on a second round of germination. The second growth, combined with uneven emergence earlier due to dryness, resulted in multiple stages of crop and weed development in many fields. This, in addition to high winds, made herbicide application in June difficult. During the remainder of June, an appreciable amount of precipitation arrived except in the Southern Region and some eastern parts of the Central Region.

In July, above average precipitation was received in the North West and Peace Regions, while below average to significantly below average precipitation was reported in the Southern Region. Elsewhere, near average rainfall arrived. The heat in July enhanced crop development, but crop and pasture in dry areas showed signs of heat stress. And also, canola in many areas finished flowering prematurely due to the heat stress, causing a loss of yield potential.

The dry, hot weather in August across Alberta allowed crops to mature and harvesting to advance rapidly. However, crop and pasture conditions continued to deteriorate in drought-stricken areas. A well below average precipitation was received (except in the Peace Region where below average precipitation was reported), while temperatures were much above normal across the province in August.

Given the heat and dryness experienced during the season, crop development was ahead of normal and harvest began earlier than usual in 2001. Harvest of dry land crop was well underway in early August in the Southern Region. Combining began in mid-August in the Central Region, and started in late August in other areas of the province.

The open and dry fall allowed harvest to progress rapidly, and also enhanced maturity of the late seeded crops and the second growth. By October 2, nearly 90% of the Alberta crop was in the bin, with most of the crop in the field found in the North West and Peace Regions. The warm and dry weather conditions in the fall also helped produce high protein levels in wheat (including durum) and barley. However, high green seed content in canola was reported by many producers, especially in the Peace and North West Regions. Poor crops in drought-stricken areas were salvaged for cattle feed, grazed or abandoned. The Medicine Hat area reported that most of pasture, forages and other crops failed due to the record low precipitation received in 2001.

Lack of adequate rainfall during the 2001 crop season and the dry fall left poor moisture reserves across Alberta for the next season. Precipitation in the winter and the spring will be critical for crops and pasture in 2002.

Insects and Crop Diseases

Various crop diseases were also reported in the 2001 crop season, but damage to crops were less severe compared to insect problems.

Irrigation

Forage, Pasture and Cattle

Pasture growth was slow early in the season due to lack of moisture. Some producers were still supplementing livestock on pasture with dry feed in June. The continued dryness had pasture conditions remaining largely unimproved through most of the season in most areas of the Southern Region, eastern areas of the Central Region, and other areas of the province. Many areas had a shortage of water on pasture, and producers were hauling water to cattle. Pressured by these adverse factors, some producers reduced or sold off their cattle herd.

According to a survey of provincial specialists conducted in late November of 2001, nearly 80% of respondents rated pasture as poor, 15% as fair and only about 5% as good. Cattle, however, were mostly rated as good, with only 4% rated as poor and 25% as fair. Poor water reserves on pasture were reported in most areas.

Pasture in many areas was overgrazed in 2001. Therefore, pastures may not be as ready in the coming spring as many farmers hoped, and cattle feeding may last longer than normal. Also, pasture gazing capacity is expected to be down for the next season. An above average precipitation in the winter and spring is needed to compensate for the severe deficit in moisture and water reserves on pasture.

2001 Crop Production, Alberta

Total spring wheat production in 2001 was estimated at 5.55 million tonnes, down nearly 15% from 2000 and 14% from the 5-year average. Durum production suffered dramatic decreases of 33% from 2000 and 40% from the 5-year average. The low durum production resulted mainly from a low yield of 20.6 bushels per acre in 2001, compared to the 5-year average of 34.8 bushels per acre and 26.7 bushels per acre in 2000. Durum wheat is grown mainly in the southeastern parts of Alberta where drought conditions and pest problems prevailed during the 2001 crop season.

Canola yield in 2001 was estimated at 26.7 bushels per acre, slightly higher than the 5-year average yield of 25.8 bushels per acre, thanks to an above average canola crop in the Peace Region and limited canola acreage in most drought areas. Total canola production in 2001 was 1.72 million tonnes, down nearly 25% from the 5-year average and 20% from 2000, due to a much lower harvested acreage.

Total barley production was estimated at 5.23 million tonnes in 2001, down 3% from 2000 and 14% from the 5-year average. Total oat production in 2001 was 592 thousand tonnes, down 10% from 2000 and 32% from the 5-year average. Reduced yields and/or lower harvested areas were responsible for the lower production of barley and oats. The low tame hay production and poor pasture condition had many producers increasing barley and oat acreage harvested for green feed and silage in 2001.

Dry pea production was 542 thousand tonnes in 2001, down 10% from 2000 (due mainly to a lower yield), but up 15% from the 5-year average (thanks to a much higher acreage). In 2001, total production was only 5,900 tonnes for lentils and 5,400 tonnes for mustard. A low yield and a much smaller acreage in 2001 were responsible for the low mustard production. Production of sugar beets was only 544 thousand tonnes, down 41% from 2000 and 30% from the 5-year average, because of a much smaller acreage.

Total 2001 production of dry beans was estimated at 55 thousand tonnes, relatively unchanged from 2000, but up 36% from the 5-year average due mainly to a much higher acreage. In 2001, a reduced yield resulted in a lower sunflower production of 3,400 tonnes, though sunflower acreage was higher than in 2000 and the 5-year average.

Chickpeas are the latest Cinderella crop in Southern Alberta. In 2001, a total of 18 thousand tonnes of chickpeas were produced from 75,000 harvested acres with an average yield of 533 lbs per acre. Also, a total of 33 thousand tonnes of triticale was produced in Alberta in 2001.

Yield and harvested area for tame hay were also reduced significantly by drought conditions. As a result, total tame hay production was estimated at only 4.04 million tonnes in 2001, down 27% from 2000 and 29% from the 5-year average. Fodder corn production, however, was relatively unchanged from 2000. Fodder corn is mostly grown under irrigation in Southern Alberta.

Alberta Crop Production Tables

Source: Statistics Canada

avg. - average
n.a. - Not available

Crop Area, Yield and Production, Alberta
	2001	2001	2001	5-year Average			2001/5-year
	seeded	hrvtd*	yield	seeded	hrvtd*	yield	yield
	('000 acres)		(bu/acre)	('000 acres)		(bu/acre)	(%)
All wheat	7,365	6,780	33.1	7,071	6,938	39.0	84.9%
Spring wheat	6,200	5,820	35.1	6,115	5,987	39.6	88.6%
Durum	1,100	900	20.6	895	891	34.8	59.2%
Winter wheat	65	60	33.3	61	60	39.3	84.7%
Oats	1,500	600	64.0	1,370	850	66.7	96.0%
Barley	5,450	4,400	54.5	5,350	4,710	59.3	91.9%
All rye	80	50	27.0	100	74	34.4	78.5%
Mixed grain	325	50	40.0	247	65	55.7	71.8%
Flaxseed	38	35	22.9	56	54	21.6	106.0%
Canola	2,900	2,850	26.7	3,960	3,884	25.8	103.5%
Dry peas	650	610	32.6	463	449	39.0	83.6%
Lentils	24	18	12.0	24	23	15.6	77.0%
Mustard seed	38	32	7.5	107	103	16.5	45.3%
Dry beans	55	54	37.0	42	41	35.2	105.3%
Sunflower	7	6	41.7	5	5	57.5	72.5%
			(tons/acre)			(tons/acre)
Sugar beets	30	29	20.7	41	40	21.0	98.6%
Fodder corn	35	30	16.0	18	17	16.4	97.6%
Tame hay	5,750	4,850	0.9	5,318	5,013	1.3	69.2%
Total	24,247	20,394		24,172	22,266

* hrvtd - harvested

Source: Statistics Canada

Feed Supply and Quality

According to a survey of provincial specialists conducted in late November of 2001, forages and feed grains were mostly rated as good or excellent quality. Two-thirds to 75% of respondents rated tame hay and green feed as good or excellent. About 90% of respondents reported silage, straw and feed barley/oats in good or excellent quality.

Since the fall of 2001, a substantial amount of US corn has been imported into Southern Alberta to compensate for the low barley/oat production in Alberta and other provinces in the Prairies. Imports are expected to continue for the remainder of the winter. A total of 600,000 to one million tonnes of US corn will be imported into Southern Alberta for the crop year of 2001/02, according to industry sources.

Prepared by: Chuanliang Su

This information is maintained by Gail Atkinson
Last Revised/Reviewed January 9, 2002

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