It's that time of year again to keep an eye out for combines in fields and on roads.
Despite the concerns of drought this year, late spring rains, and hot days, crop yields in Alberta are doing well.
Even though it is early in the harvest season, the crop reports in Alberta show that both the Peace Region and the South Region, which includes Foothills County, are currently expecting to produce above-average yields, while the Northwest region is on par with the last five-year averages.
The Central and Northeast Regions aren't producing as well and are expecting yields to be slightly lower than their average over the past five years.
While the first cut of dryland hay is complete, they only averaged 1.5 tonne per acre, which is above historical averages, and the first cut of irrigated hay in the South region averaged 2.6 tons per acre.
On top of that, overall, only about half of the Alberta producers are expecting a second cut of hay this year, the irrigated hay producers in the South region are already halfway done their second cut.
However, as it is harvesting season, the provincial government is reminding people to keep an eye out for combined and grain trucks on roads and to give farmers some extra room as they transport their equipment to their fields.
"Fall is one of the busiest times of year for farmers and harvest means long days in the fields. Thank you to our province’s dedicated farmers and ranchers who work tirelessly to put food on tables here at home and around the globe," said Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation R.J. Sigurdson in a media release from August 20th.
To learn more about this year's harvest season, including seeing the Alberta Crop reports, click here.
