Seeding across Saskatchewan has been progressing quickly, thanks to warm, dry weather for most of the month of May. The progress has definitely been seen here in southeast Saskatchewan, where producers are well above the five-year average, according to the weekly crop report, released by the provincial government Thursday.

Farmers have 80 percent of the crop in the ground in the southeast, up from 60 percent the previous week. It is also well ahead of the five-year average of 64 percent. With many producers wrapping up seeding operations, it is expected everything will be finished in a week or two.

Not everything has been seeded, though. It is being reported roughly two percent of acres won’t be seeded in the region. This is due to either a lack of moisture or localized flooding.

The topsoil moisture conditions are a little worrisome for some farmers. The strong winds and dry weather haven't helped, as topsoil moisture for cropland is rated one per cent surplus, 65 percent adequate, 29 percent short and five per cent very short. In the Weyburn area, the lack of moisture is even more prevalent, as 23 percent of cropland is rated as being very short in terms of topsoil moisture.

Emerging crops have been in fairly good condition so far this spring, although the majority are at or behind normal developmental stages for this time of year. The wind and lack of moisture has caused some damage. A mid-week frost didn’t help either, as some fields had to be re-seeded.

Provincially, the Ministry of Agriculture is reporting 60 percent of the crop is in the field, slightly behind the five-year average of 65 percent.