The first crop report of the year says seeding has reached one percent across the Saskatchewan grainbelt.

Provincial crops specialist Matt Struthers says seeding is well behind the five year average of five percent for this date.

He says seeding is most advanced in the southwest at eight percent.

Topsoil moisture is rated 5 percent surplus, 55 percent adequate, 28 percent short and 14 percent very short.

Spring runoff is slightly better this year compared to 2021, allowing dugouts and other smaller water bodies to fill in many areas.

He says livestock producers have struggled to ration available feed supplies through the winter and producers will need a good hay cropd to replenish feed supplies.

There are reports of winterkill of fall rye and winter wheat crops, particularly in the southwest, and producers are assessing damage to determine if reseeding is necessary.
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