A crop producer west of Steinbach says the rain and warmer weather in the past week or two have been ideal for crops. Kevin Peters of HerbSigWill Farms at Randolph says crops got off to a slow start, but things are improving.

"There have been some challenges with the cool soils. Overall, it has been a little bit cooler through the spring. We've had some insect pressures from flea beetles and cutworms and things, but we seem to have pulled through a lot of that now. We have had some timely rains that have really given crops a boost in the last few weeks."

Peters adds the pests in their crops were not bad enough to require insecticide.

Meanwhile, he says it will be a struggle for corn to be knee high by the First of July, although he expects it will be close.

"We might have to bring our kids to the field to get it knee-high by the First of July."

He says the forecast for heat this week is exactly what they need.

"We're definitely in need of some good heat. There's enough moisture to sustain for a bit and with some thundershowers in the forecast, we're looking pretty well. Heat would be the key here."

Peters notes that early-seeded spring wheat is already heading out and canola is about to flower. He believes they are still on track for an average to slightly above average crop.