U.S. spring wheat starting to head

Jun 28, 2019

The crop’s progress is well behind last year’s figure

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The 2019 U.S. spring wheat crop is entering its next growth stage.

About 7 percent of national spring wheat acres have headed, the USDA’s Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin said on June 25. That figure is down from 30 percent at this time in 2018.

Spring wheat in Minnesota is 14 percent headed. At this time last year, the state’s crop was 32 percent headed.

The crop is behind because of the challenging planting season, said Tim Osowski, a producer from Argyle, Minn.

“The wheat in this area is just starting to head and I would call it a good crop but not an excellent one,” he told Farms.com. “It’s not a surprise the crop is behind when you factor in the cold spring, later planting (date) and a colder June.”

At this point, farmers will have to mostly accept the crop the way it is and prepare for a later harvest, Osowski said.

But producers can still add nutrients to help increase grain quality.

“There’s still some topdressing that can potentially increase protein content,” he said. “But, for the most part, the temperature during grain fill is going to be the concern. We can’t have it too hot or else it could be a negative in terms of yield.”

The U.S. corn crop continues to emerge.

About 89 percent of American corn acres are up, the USDA’s report said. All U.S. corn had emerged by this point in 2018.

North Carolina and Tennessee are the only states to record 100 percent emergence. Corn in Michigan is 63 percent emerged, which is the lowest of the 18 documented states.

The 2019 soybean crop is also continuing its emergence.

About 71 percent of U.S. soybeans are up, the USDA says. That figure is down from 94 percent at this time last year.

Soybeans in Louisiana are 98 percent emerged, which is the furthest progress of the 18 recorded states. Soybeans in Ohio are 45 percent emerged. That figure represents the lowest progress.

Farms.com has reached out to corn and soybean growers for crop updates.

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