By Julia Debes
Freeze damage and drought concerns have dominated media and market reports. Outside of the Central and Southern Plains, however, winter wheat crops have a much better outlook. USDA NASS tracks winter wheat crops across the country in its State Crop Progress and Conditions reports, released most recently on April 14.
USW checked in with farmers and state wheat commission members from Maryland to California to see how their winter wheat is faring. The positive conditions further emphasize the strength of the geographic diversity of the U.S. wheat crop.
Maryland. NASS rated soft red winter (SRW) winter wheat conditions as of April 13 as 63 percent good to excellent, 24 percent fair and 13 percent very poor to poor. Jason Scott, who farms on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, reported that the SRW crop is behind schedule due to a cool spring, but looks good.
“We’re just waiting on Mother Nature to give us a good crop,” he said.
Ohio. In contrast to many other states, NASS stated that Ohio was considered too wet last week for much fieldwork. NASS reported 47 percent of the state’s SRW wheat in good to excellent condition, 43 percent fair and 10 percent very poor to poor.
South Dakota. After a disappointing HRW crop last season, South Dakota’s 2014/15 crop now has adequate topsoil and subsoil moisture. NASS reported 67 percent of the crop as good to excellent, 30 percent fair and 3 percent poor. Last year at this time, NASS rated only 5 percent of the crop good, 22 percent fair and 73 percent very poor to poor.
Wyoming. Keith Kennedy, executive director of the Wyoming Wheat Marketing Commission, said that late-planted HRW wheat is not emerging rapidly from winter dormancy and the crop has endured greater than normal wind stress. However, he noted that widespread moisture this past weekend should support crop conditions.
As of April 13, NASS reported 58 percent of the HRW crop as good, 40 percent fair and 2 percent poor. NASS also reported that moisture conditions in Wyoming are much better than they were this time last year.
California. The wheat crop has not been immune to the impact of the widespread drought in California. Janice Cooper, executive director of the California Wheat Commission, reported that planted area is down in both southern and northern parts of the state so a significant drop in production was already expected. However, she emphasized, “The wheat we do harvest will be very good quality.”
California plants five of the six wheat classes, almost entirely under irrigation.
Oregon. In Oregon, NASS rated soft white (SW) winter wheat conditions at 47 percent good to excellent, 48 percent fair and 5 percent poor.
Idaho. Blaine Jacobson, executive director of the Idaho Wheat Commission, reported that two-thirds of Idaho’s wheat crop is irrigated and replenished reservoirs this spring bode well for those fields.
“Growing conditions in northern Idaho continue to be favorable, so we’re anticipating another good crop from that area,” he said, adding that the less than 5 percent of dryland acres in far eastern Idaho continue to suffer from dry conditions.
NASS rated winter wheat conditions at 88 percent good to excellent, 11 percent fair and 1 percent poor.
Washington. Scott Yates, director of communications and producer relations with the Washington Grain Commission, said moisture is a concern in the state of Washington. He reports all areas are running behind in seasonal precipitation, with some areas receiving as little as 69 percent of normal rainfall. Some wheat farmers in eastern Washington reported losing their entire SW wheat crops to winterkill, but relative to the whole state, the loss was limited, Yates said.
Source: U.S. Wheat Associates