Become a Volunteer Crop Reporter
Are you a weather-watcher who checks the rain gauge each morning? Do you enjoy discussing farming and crop conditions with your neighbours? Would you like to contribute local information to Saskatchewan Agriculture's most popular publication?
Then consider becoming a volunteer Crop Reporter with the Ministry of Agriculture. Saskatchewan has a great reputation for the quality of its crop report and all those involved in the agriculture industry benefit from the information it provides. It also helps the general public to understand the challenges facing our producers.
Crop Reporters
Crop Reporters are a mix of producers, agrologists, and anyone else involved or interested in agriculture; they are the eyes and ears of what is happening in the farming community. There are currently over 200 volunteers spread across the province with many having contributed information for several decades. In 2015 for the first time ever, three reporters reached 40 years of volunteering with the program. Saskatchewan Agriculture greatly appreciates the commitment these volunteers have shown to the Crop Report.
Crop Reporter Commitment
Each week, Crop Reporters spend five to 10 minutes filling out a survey. The majority of questions are based on conditions in their RM or surrounding Crop District. Many reporters talk with their neighbours and clients to find out what is happening locally and base their answers on their immediate area.
Questions provide the Ministry with information on rainfall, topsoil moisture conditions, seeding progress, crop development, crop damage, harvest progress and crop yields, as well as haying progress and yields, livestock feed supplies and pasture conditions. Weather-related damage and conditions are also frequently surveyed.
There are several options available for reporting. Many reporters will call the Agriculture Knowledge Center in Moose Jaw and talk to a live person while others will fax or email information. The Crop Report also offers online reporting through weekly customized email links.
Crop Report Audience
The information is used across Saskatchewan and world-wide by producers, agrologists, policy-makers, media, marketers, investors and others interested or involved with the agricultural industry. The Crop Report is Saskatchewan Agriculture's most popular publication. Since Saskatchewan is a major producer and exporter of crops, the progress of Saskatchewan's crop is followed closely around the world.
There are many RMs that need a Crop Reporter, and volunteers are always welcome to join the Crop Reporting Service even if their RM currently has a volunteer Crop Reporter. The more data collected, the better the Crop Report will be.