Crops around the province are advancing quite nicely, however more rain in the northeast has caused some delays for producers.

Grant McLean with Saskatchewan Agriculture said their reports are indicating crops are advancing normally.

Despite some rainy days this month the warmer weather has allowed Saskatchewan farmers to stay on track.

“Livestock producers have about 30 per cent of the hay crop cut and about 23 per cent of its baled. The condition to date has been 33 per cent excellent and six per cent good, so in many cases producers are quite pleased in spite of the rain events," Grant McLean with Saskatchewan Agriculture said, according to this week’s crop report.

Inside one of the exam rooms at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, cardboard boxes are carefully set on the exam table. Permanent marker written on the top tells the vets a robin, goldfinch, sparrow and waxwing are all inside.

These are just some of the daily deliveries to the clinic.

"In the summer it would probably range anywhere from 15 to 30 (per week)," said Katarina Bennett, a wildlife, zoo and exotics clinical associate at the U of S. 

The summer is the busiest time for them and the variety of animals is massive.

Protecting the South Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan River's is one of the important things in the draft legacy document.
 
The rivers were nominated in June, last year, to become a Canadian Heritage River.
 
"It's just a way to recognize the wonderful history that is along our river," Susan Lamb, chair of Partners for Saskatchewan River Basin, said.
 
Lamb said that is "like a good housekeeping seal of approval." They would only get it for culture, and not the environment, because there is a dam on the river.
 

A family farm is reeling from the loss of 18 Charolais cattle after a lightning strike near Yellow Creek.

Stephen Wielgosz made the gruesome discovery when he went out to check on his herd after a severe thunderstorm rolled through the area, about an hour south-east of Prince Albert.

It appears the 18 cows were laying underneath a tree in the pasture, which was struck sometime during the storm.

It's a less invasive way to maintain our prairie grasses.

The Meewasin Valley Authority has come together with the Beaver Creek Conservation area to preserve the native plants by using sheep.

"A program that Meewasin Valley Authority implemented as a way to maintain the health of the native prairie areas," said Jared Epp a contract shepherd with Meewasin Valley Authority.

The sheep are used as an alternative for mechanical means and chemicals.

The quality of this year’s crop is looking decent to this point, however the effects of flooding have started to show up as they develop.

According to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report, rain showers brought various amounts of moisture to the province last week. That moisture was unwelcome to many producers who have been dealing with prolonged wet conditions.

Grant McLean, crop specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, said very wet conditions have begun to take their toll on some fields in the northeast and northwest regions.

Seeding is now complete throughout the province and the majority of crops are in decent condition, said the ministry of agriculture in a recent news release.

In the past week, heavy rains have caused some damage while in-crop spraying operations have been delayed due to excess moisture.

However, more than half of all winter cereals, spring cereals, oilseeds and pulse crops are at their normal development stages.

The warm weather forecasted for the next week should help to dry fields and advance crops.

As flood waters raged through southern Alberta this week, so too did farm equipment sales at the Farm Progress Show in Regina.

But for those vendors and attendees from Southern Alberta, the back of their minds were full of thoughts about what waited for them at home. Many had family or friends who had been evacuated or had their own homes threatened by floodwaters.

It’s a show featuring new products and technology not seen anywhere else, a show of eye-popping machinery, and a show that will draw in thousands over the next three days in Regina.