By Alice McFarlane

Rain delays seeding progress in Manitoba

May 22, 2025 | 10:06 AM

Roughly eight days of rain may have helped replenish soil moisture reserves but seeding was delayed.

The Manitoba Agriculture Crop Report was released this week and Oilseed Specialist Sonia Wilson said planting remains ahead of normal.

“Overall, provincially we are sitting at about 57 per cent complete in terms of seeding for all crops as compared to our five-year average of 45 per cent so, because of these last couple of weeks, we’re definitely ahead of our normal five-year,” Wilson said.

The majority of spring wheat, oats and barley are completely seeded. The northwest is sitting at 80 per cent complete for spring wheat. Some of the other cereals still have to go in for the southwest and northwest.

“When we look at corn we’re about halfway planted across the province,” she said. “We’ve had those higher temperature days so we’ve had an accumulation of growing degree days here in early season so that early seeded corn is emerging and growing quite quickly.”

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For the oilseeds, canola is at about 30 per cent seeded across the province.

“A lot of farmers turned to seed that right before the rainfall started and I’m sure will continue as field conditions allow,” Wilson added.

Sunflowers are over 80 per cent complete and flax is sitting closer to canola at 30 per cent.

Pulse, soybeans, and field peas which go in quite early are basically complete, sitting at 96 per cent.

Wilson said farmers are turning to soybeans next and are about 40 per cent seeded across the province. There are a few acres of dry beans in and will be coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Most regions are reporting optimal moisture with some areas reporting excess moisture with standing water in lower areas, according to Wilson.

“With the exception of the east and eastern portions of the Interlake, which are below 70 per cent of normal moisture, rainfall over the past week has brought accumulations closer to normal.”

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com