Southwestern Manitoba farmers are facing mounting harvest challenges after another week of significant rainfall slowed field work and raised concerns about crop quality.
According to Manitoba Agriculture’s latest crop report, the Southwest Region received the highest precipitation totals in the province between September 14 and 20. Miniota recorded 77.8 millimetres of rain, while even the driest reporting location in the region, Glenboro, received 22.5 millimetres.
The continued moisture has left standing water in fields, limited equipment movement and narrowed harvest windows. Many producers spent the past week drying grain and preparing storage capacity for wet crops rather than making meaningful harvesting progress.
Winter wheat, fall rye and field pea harvest are now complete, with average yields and generally good quality reported. However, major crops remain well behind schedule. Spring wheat harvest sits between 40 and 45 per cent complete, barley is approximately 70 per cent harvested and oats are only 50 per cent complete.
Canola remains the biggest concern, with less than one-quarter of the crop harvested. Producers are reporting severe lodging, difficult field conditions and increasing issues with sprouting and quality loss.
Across the province, Manitoba’s average harvest completion rate stands at 43 per cent. In the Southwest Region, that figure is just 27 per cent, making it one of the slowest-moving areas in Manitoba.
Livestock producers are seeing some positives from the wet weather. Pasture regrowth has been excellent, dugouts remain near full capacity and grazing conditions are expected to extend further into the fall. However, muddy corrals and saturated pastures are creating challenges as calf weaning season approaches.
