The next seven days are going to be crucial for Alberta farmers whose crops are in desperate need of rain, according to a provincial agricultural specialist.

Half of the crops in the province are in poor condition due to a cold spring and the lack of moisture, said Merle Jacobson, agricultural risk management specialist with Alberta Agriculture.

These dry fields near Camrose, Alta., are typical of what farmers are facing in the east-central part of the province. (CBC) On a tour of the province, Jacobson found hay and canola crops in east-central Alberta have been hit the hardest.

Still, this year is not as bad as what some farmers have seen in the past, Jacobson said.

"Just to put it into perspective, in 2002 at this time we had 4,500 claims … filed already compared to about 1,400 now, so producers are still optimistic if some rain comes," he said.

The rain will have to fall within the next week or farmers won't be able to save their crops, Jacobson said.

Farmers have said even an inch of rain could make a difference, while hot windy weather would be devastating.