With little rainfall to delay the operations, haying continued across much of Saskatchewan last week. The weekly crop report from the provincial Ministry of Agriculture, which covers the period from July 20th to July 26th, showed 15 percent of the hay crop had been cut, and another 75 percent had been baled or put into silage.  

The quality of the hay crop so far this year is being rated as four percent excellent, 40 percent good, 34 percent fair and 22 percent poor. Yields, however, are being reported as below normal, especially in areas that have received little rain. This is making a second cut very unlikely. 

The above-normal temperatures and the lack of rainfall have made the topsoil moisture levels continue to deteriorate. For cropland, the levels are rated as just four percent adequate and 96 percent short or very short. The hay and pasture land topsoil moisture levels are rated as two percent adequate and 98 percent short of very short.  

The lack of rainfall and the extreme heat is also having an impact on the ripening and maturation of the crops. Some producers have even started harvesting. The estimated yields for many crops across the province are expected to be well below average, and any rainfall now won’t help the yields but will help for the next growing season.