Crops surrounding the Drumheller area are fairing better than others in the province.
Both Starland and Kneehill Counties are saying crops of wheat, canola, barley, and others are about 2-3 weeks behind schedule, but may catch up if heat hits the fields.
“The biggest thing that’s affected crops is that it’s been too cool and wet,” says Alan Hampton, Agricultural Fieldman for Starland.
“In farming nothing’s perfect, ran can be a spectacular thing to have but we need a heat wave to finish a good year,” he says.
“The potential is there.”
The canola crops are just finishing now, with some still flowering, but wheat and barley has been looking good says Bowen Clausen, Assistant Ag. Fieldman at Kneehill County.
“We typically would have been done last month, but only wrapped up last week Clausen says.
“You can never make a farmer happy.”
Farms in northern Alberta have seen severe drought this year, with the Peace region even declaring it a disaster recently, while souther Alberta has seen the polar opposite with wet and soggy conditions that inhibit farming.
Hampton, of Starland, said the quantity of crops is good, but quality is unknown.
He adds that despite wariness of last year’s crops, it worked out in favour for area farmers. This year could be the same.
A representative from Wheatland County could not be reached by press time.
Grain prices could increase this year due to lower production in Alberta, and a major drought across Russia, causing their government to block grain exports.