Alberta crops off to a great start
Crops around the province in good or very good condition
Alberta crops healthy and looking good – photo courtesy The Vancouver Sun
When things go badly in farming and in hockey, there’s always the hopeful saying: “Next year.” But farmers in Alberta have actually been racking up some pretty good seasons lately. Forget next year – this year appears to be on track for another very successful crop.
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development reported on Friday that most crops around the province appear to be in either good or very good condition. From the July 13 Alberta Crop Report: “The excellent weather experienced across the province during the past two weeks has advanced crop development. Generally, the condition of most crops is rated as good to excellent. Provincially, about 91 to 94 per cent of spring cereals (spring wheat, durum, oats and barley) are in good to excellent condition.”
Moisture levels – which are often a major concern for crop farmers at this time of year – are close to the 30-year average throughout the province. The only area in which moisture appears to be below average is in the far north Peace region east of High Level. The eastern half of the province between Lloydminster and Oyen is experiencing above average moisture levels.
All of this is good news for agriculture, which is sometimes overshadowed by energy in Alberta as a major contributing resource sector. Agriculture cash receipts themselves may only account for a small percentage of the province’s overall GDP, But many business and personal service businesses throughout the province rely on farm incomes for their customer base. More Albertans than just farmers are rooting for a good crop year in 2012
| ATB Financial
Category: Business
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