Winter wheat conditions improved in Kansas and Oklahoma over the month of December but were mixed elsewhere.
A monthly crop update from the USDA on Wednesday pegged the crop in the No. 1 winter wheat production state of Kansas at 43% good to excellent as of the end of last month, up 11 points from the last weekly crop progress report issued at the end of November. The December rating is also up sharply from just 19% good to excellent the previous year.
The Oklahoma crop saw an even bigger improvement from the end of November, jumping 14 points to 67% good to excellent - well above 38% a year ago.
Large portions of the US southern Plains saw much improved moisture conditions in the fall and early winter versus a year earlier. Topsoil moisture in Kansas was rated 53% adequate to surplus as of the end of December, compared to just 31% last year, while Oklahoma topsoil moisture improved to 76% adequate to surplus from 42%.
In Colorado, the condition of the winter wheat crop slipped from the end of November, down 3 points to 62% good to excellent, but still well above 50% good last year. The condition of the Nebraska crop also declined slightly, down 1 point to 48% good to excellent versus 18% last year.
The condition of the Soft Red crops in both Michigan and Ohio declined. At 42% good to excellent, the condition of the Michigan crop was down 4 points from the end of November and well below 71% last year. The Ohio crop was rated 71% good to excellent, a fall of 9 points from November but still up from 53% a year earlier.
Although temperatures were mild across Michigan in December, the report said precipitation was below normal. The driest areas include the Upper Peninsula and north and middle counties of the Lower Peninsula spanning from the west to east coast of the state. “December has been unusually warm across the state and lack of snow has brought moisture concerns for spring to the forefront,” the report said.
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