2022 brought some moisture benefits for farmers, while also introducing a whole host of other benefits and issues across the prairies.

In Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, many areas either saw too much rain, continued with drought, or managed to get right into the middle sweet spot.

The year has been one which had governments on the edge of their seats to see how crops and farmers would fare.

Manitoba Agriculture Minister Darren Johnson said that more moisture helped some farmers while hindering others.

"Most of the producers would be excited about the recovery from the 2021 drought, we've received moisture in the spring of 2022, but obviously in some parts of the province, it was more than what some people would like.

While Manitoba did deal with a bit too much moisture, areas of Saskatchewan and Alberta ended up dealing with yet another drought.

Another problem for farmers also came from overseas, explains Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Meritt.

"One of the concerns we've had is what's happened in Ukraine, with the war. Obviously, our hearts go out to the people in Ukraine, but also to the impact that has had in the ag sector, in a lot of respects. Obviously, we saw a shortage of fertilizer, but we also saw other international markets concerned about the supply chain and stuff like that."

Even with those pressures, Alberta Agriculture Minister Nate Horner says his province was in better shape than last year.

"On the farming side of things, on the yield basis, probably a 10 per cent better than average year overall, in 2022. So, a little better weather, a little better outcome. I think that's the big story, coupled with historically high commodity values, I think put a lot of people's minds at ease."