With another week of hot, dry weather on the horizon, producers are anxiously hoping 2021 doesn’t become a carbon copy of 2001.
“We had a situation like this twenty years ago,” said Corman Park Division 5 Councillor Art Pruim, who farms near Warman. “We need rain badly.
“We’re very concerned that if it doesn’t improve we could be in that period of drought once again.”
In an interview during a break in the July 12 Corman Park council meeting, Pruim said the effects of the heat and lack of moisture are taking a severe toll on crops.
“We’ve already seen a lot of the crop burn off,” he said. “Canola has flowered for a very short period under extreme heat and the plants don’t look exceptionally great right now.
“Some of the wheat crops are burning off without heads on them.”
Pruim said many producers are taking off crops for green feed.
“We have never seen guys in the dairy and beef industry taking off forages this early in July,” he noted. “Typically we’re taking off the barley in the third and fourth week of July and the first week of August. But it’s been a particularly challenging year.”
The lack of soil moisture in non-irrigated fields has already cut down yields.
“Normally on dry land we will take off seven or eight tonnes of barley silage per acre,” he said. “This year we took some off last week that only amounted to two tonnes per acre. Some other guys were getting about three tonnes, but overall the yields are way down.”
He said if dry conditions persist there should be proactive programs in place to provide a cushion for producers.
Pruim said dry years like this one show the value of irrigation.
“It definitely makes a difference,” he said. “With lots of heat and the ability to control water, those producers with irrigation are seeing little or no reduction in yield.”
Pruim said while irrigation is a cost, it’s also an investment.
He noted that even in a dry year, the current amount of water taken from the South Saskatchewan River for irrigation is less than what actually evaporates naturally out of the river or is not released from the Diefenbaker Dam.
The Saskatoon region isn’t the only area where crops are suffering. The lack of rainfall and ongoing hot temperatures have damaged crops across the province.
According to the provincial crop report released Thursday, July 8, yield potential and crop quality will be impacted in many regions.
Crops are stunted, thin, yellowing in colour and are prematurely drying down in many areas of the province due to the heat stress and lack of moisture. Significant rainfall is needed soon to allow crops to properly fill and avoid irreparable crop damage.
Topsoil moisture levels across the province have continued to deteriorate due to the extended period of hot, dry and windy weather. Cropland topsoil moisture is currently rated as zero per cent surplus, 18 per cent adequate, 51 per cent short and 31 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as zero per cent surplus, 13 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 43 per cent very short.