Cochrane area farmers should be pleased to see warmer temperatures accompanied by an absence of rain this week.
As farmers wait for the warm weather to dry out crops for cutting and baling, it would appear that harvest is slowly underway.
“We’re a bit behind, but there’s a lot more feed than there was a couple of months ago. As long we get some warm and dry weather, we should have a good crop,” said Jim Turner, a long-time Cochrane rancher who puts up 300 to 400 acres of feed each year.
Brook Harry, a crop specialist with the Alberta Ag-Info Centre in Stettler, said many crops have been adversely affected by hail damage.
Harry said warm, dry weather is a must this season, as farmers across the province have been hit with hail – shattering some cereal heads, pea and canola pods.
Prices also aren’t looking prime for farmers.
“Worldwide we’re seeing a ramp-up of production with more and more wheat crops,” said Harry, referring to the increase in production in Russia and the good crops in the U.S.; this stockpiling of crops translates to lower prices.
Harry said other concerns include high humidity and early frost.
“If you have too much moisture, crops can germinate in the head … we have good potential crops coming off but we need some good weather.”
Staffed with various agriculture specialists such as crop, beef and commercial horticulture, the centre is in place to support members of the Alberta agriculture industry to access specialists, info and services with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.
