Seeding in the southeast area has stalled while operations continue in other parts of the province, due mainly to cool and wet weather in the southeast that has brought continued moisture to the land.

The provincial average for seeding is 68 per cent, but in crop district 2A, which encompasses most of the RMs in and around Weyburn, seeding is around 46 per cent complete, said Gary Coghill with Sask. Agriculture and Food. The provincial average is slightly ahead of the five-year average of 65 per cent of seeding complete.

With all the rain that's been falling since the fall of heavy wet snow two weeks ago, topsoil moisture in the southeast is rated as adequate-to-surplus for crop lands, as well as for hay and pasture lands, said Coghill. The topsoil was rated as adequate by 78 per cent of the crop reporters in the Weyburn area.

Tribune-area farmer David Pattyson noted their area received even more moisture than Weyburn did, saying they had 12 inches of moisture or better of the wet snow, and approaching three inches of rain since then.

"A lot of guys in this area made fairly good progress prior to the snowfall, and since then virtually no work has been done. It was to the point we were in dire need of moisture, so it certainly came at a very good time," said Pattyson.

He estimates he is about three-quarters done his own seeding operations, while in the Tribune area he pegs it at close to 50 per cent complete. With all the moisture they've received, he added, "it will be a number of days before we can get back at it."

Some farmers get anxious once they're still seeding in June, said Pattyson, but it's not that uncommon to be seeding in the early part of the month.

With the cool weather, the growth of new green grass in pastures has been very slow, said Coghill, so many cattle producers have needed to continue supplementing the feed for their stock until they can get them in the pastures. There are still some reports of frost overnight, which also slows down the new growth.

"Once we get warm weather, the hay and pasture lands will really take off," he said.

Sask. Ag and Food also noted there was some indication of producers changing their seeding plans to include more oilseeds now that more moisture has arrived.

Pattyson pointed out many farmers use a rotation system so there would not be much room to adjust, but with the wet weather there may be some who will make changes to their seeding plans. A good result of the cool, wet weather is the delay in the hatching of insect pests, particularly grasshoppers.