As most Prairie producers are all too aware, cropping conditions have been less than ideal this year.
Another wet spring, on the heels of two wet years, meant seeding lagged.
Since then, across much of the Prairies, rain has continued to be an issue, lots of rain.
Driving around the parkland region over the last several weeks I have seen too many crops, especially cereals, with yellowish leaves, which always reminds me of an explanation from my grandfather about such crops looking that way because 'they have wet feet'. It was a reference to the crops simply sitting in too much water.
As we now pass the middle of July crop conditions are not likely to change greatly, although later seeded fields still have to hope an early frost doesn't pop up.
Again thinking of my grandfather he'd say the date to worry about would be Aug. 1 and 31, both nights of a full moon. He always said frost was most likely on such nights.
On a world level the wet conditions here are in contrast to droughts in the United States Midwest and the Black Sea Region, meaning crops in those two export regions are under pressure.
The Canadian situation in terms of production is not a disaster, but it certainly is one where production will not be such that it can offset problems elsewhere.
The wet here, and drought in other locations have been enough to rally prices, and so farmers might have a fall where harvesting an average crop still produce strong returns.
That is good news for farmers here.
There is however, another side to the situation.
In times of drought and wet it is not just the production levels which take a hit. Quality too can be affected.
Canadian farmers are well aware that quality makes a difference. Canadian wheat has a reputation for its quality based on many of the legislated safeguards which have long existed in this country, and those safeguards have allowed this country's wheat to be accepted into markets where quality is paramount.
If weather conditions impact enough cereal export regions quality production is likely to be squeezed harder than overall production, and that could put a premium on top grades this fall.
Certainly the situation has already pushed prices higher, a situation farmers here could take greater advantage of provided the weeks ahead see weather conditions moderate more towards normal, so farmers can take off the crop that is there in the highest possible condition.
