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With significant amounts of rain and wet snow falling in the southeastern area in the last couple of weeks, many crop reporters feel the start of seeding is still at least two weeks away, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture's crop report for Apr. 26-May 2.
In the southeast crop districts, the rain (including what fell on Friday) and wet snow (over the Apr. 29 weekend) was accompanied by high winds, compounding the effects of excess moisture.
There has been very little field activity so far, and Rural Municipalities are busy repairing roads that were damaged or washed out during the recent spring runoff. Provincially, just under one per cent of the 2011 crop has been seeded, with lentils, field peas and cereals seeded in a few areas.
In the past week, the Stoughton area reported 41 mm of precipitation, the Weyburn area had 13 mm, the Radville area had nine mm, Francis RM had 11.5 mm, while the RM of The Gap ranged from five to seven mm.
There have a few reports of producers getting onto the land for preseeding field work, but most producers are predicting seeding won't begin for another two weeks, if the weather cooperates.
Fields on the western side of the southeast region are a little drier, and some producers there are hoping to get on the land within the week.
Topsoil moisture conditions on crop land is rated at 77 per cent with surplus, and 23 per cent is adequate. Hayland and pasture topsoil moistures conditions are rated at 66 per cent surplus and 34 per cent adequate.
Seven per cent of winter wheat and five per cent of fall rye in the southeast region had some winter damage or spring flooding damage.
Some areas in the region had up to 82 mm of moisture, with up to two feet of snow. Access to fields and farm yards has been an issue due to impassable roads.
The storm which hit over the Apr. 29 weekend was hard on cattle producers, with producers reporting losing calves and other cattle.
Farmers are generally busy with calving, cleaning seed, preparing machinery and fixing fences.