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Rain across most of the province has helped to alleviate dry topsoil moisture conditions. Areas in the southeast, which was one of the drier regions over the past couple of months, received large amounts that caused flooding.

The deadline for Crop Insurance customers to submit their Seeded Acreage Reports and Stored Grain Declarations is fast approaching.

One can imagine the earliest settlers, those who dreamt of a piece of land they could call their own on which to farm and raise a family, arriving on the Canadian Prairies and thinking there was so much grassland it would never all be farmed.

Each year at Canada’s Farm Progress Show held in Regina in June a farm couple are presented the ‘Outstanding Young Farmers Award’ which recognizes young farmers who demonstrate excellence in their profession.

It never ceases to surprise me the entrepreneurial spirit of rural Saskatchewan to try to develop new economies.

Thanks to another week of relatively good conditions, 91 per cent of the crop is now in the ground. This is up from 70 per cent last week and remains well ahead of the five-year (2013-2017) seeding average of 81 per cent for this time of year.

When it comes to farming there has always been a generous amount of hope and finger crossing involved. Farmers hope frosts in the spring and fall will stay away until crops are grown and harvested.

Recently, Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison introduced Bill 125, The Saskatchewan Value-Added Agriculture Incentive, for first reading in the Saskatchewan Legislature.

Due to dry conditions producers are anticipating reduced pasture and hay yields this summer. Many are now considering seeding annuals for forage.

Thanks to good seeding conditions, Saskatchewan producers made up the time lost in previous weeks. Thirty-five per cent of the crop is now in the ground, just ahead of the five-year (2013-2017) seeding average of 32 per cent for this time of year.