Rain forecast for Monday is a welcome sight to farmers, providing some relief from the dry conditions and giving a boost to area crops.

That being said, Kyle Friesen with Altona-based H&M Farms says crops are looking really good and noted corn is showing good stand growth. He did add that moisture levels are marginally adequate and said he'd like to see an inch or two of rain to help perk things up. And while fields don't have the moisture reserves they did last year, Friesen said timely rains will continue to be critical this growing season.

Meantime, Friesen explained they've sprayed a few fields for cutworms and noted there was some flea beetle pressure early in the season but that was also dealt with through a combination of spraying and the crop growing through it.

At this point he isn't reporting any disease issues but crews are gearing up to apply fungicide in the winter wheat as it begins to head-out.

Friesen added that broadleaf weeds come on strong this spring but the dry conditions allowed them to deal with the situation in a timely manner.