Harvest taking place at the Neubauer farm near Irvine, Alta. Ross Lavinge/CHAT News

By Jesse Gill

ON THE FARM SERIES

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Harvest is well underway for farmers in southern Alberta.

Nichole Neubauer said it normally starts a little earlier in this area of the province.

“We’re done our peas, done the wheat, well into our dry land Durum, basically we’ve got a couple days left out here at our Irvine place with the Durum,” Neubauer said.

“Then we’ll head up to the irrigation where we have some more Durum under a pivot. Because it’s irrigated, it’s going to be a little while yet, we’re probably two-thirds done harvest.”

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Expectation for the Neubauers is to have harvest completed by early September.

Neubauer said the crops this year are average yields, with strong precipitation in May to help germination, with a little too much extreme heat in July, not allowing the crop to fill out as much.

The peas were at about 40 bushels per acre, with wheat and durum right around 35 bushels per acre.

“Samples have went into the elevator, and the cereals are grading excellent,” Neubauer said.

“The amber durum is a grade one, and the wheat, the red spring wheat was a number one as well,” she added.

“High protein content, so that is what happens with the dry weather. We fertilize, and the plant takes advantage of that to deliver protein, so good protein and good weights in the yields as well.”

Nichole Neubauer spoke with CHAT TV News on Wednesday about harvest. Ross Lavinge/CHAT News

Neubauer said they will typically keep some of their crop in the bin, to sell during the year when prices for the crop increase, when demand is stronger, with not as much supply coming in to elevators.

With bin space limited, she adds that farmers will be keeping an eye on the labour dispute between the railway companies and its workers.

“An immediate concern for producers that need to haul their product into the elevator and ultimately get paid,” Neubauer said.

“Rail strike delays our payday and of course, just like everyone else, we have bills to pay,” she added.

“It’s also troubling as a producer in a food-rich nation that the potential for this strike jeopardizes our reputation as a food-producing nation.”

Neubauer noting that completing trade agreements with other countries is important for future relations.

She also noted pastures have been great this year for cattle and feed, with grasshoppers also more focused on the forage instead of crops.

With what appears to be a strong global crop supply and lower commodity prices, Neubauer is hopeful that will reflect at the grocery store for consumers.

Despite the challenges faced by Neubauer and farmers like her, the Alberta government said Tuesday that yields are in line with historical averages.

Alberta’s crop reports indicate that the Peace and South Regions are currently expecting above-average yields while the Northwest is on par with the five-year averages.

However, the reports also predict that the yields from the Central and Northeast Regions will be slightly below average.

“Fall is one of the busiest times of year for farmers and harvest means long days in the fields,” RJ Sigurdson, minister of agriculture and irrigation said.

“Thank you to our province’s dedicated farmers and ranchers who work tirelessly to put food on tables here at home and around the globe.”