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Winter Wheat Condition Rating Down from November, Year Earlier

The condition of the 2025 US winter wheat crop has declined from last fall and a year earlier but still beat trade expectations. 

Monday’s USDA weekly crop progress report, the first for the current growing season, pegged the nationwide winter wheat crop at 48% good to excellent as of Sunday. That’s down from 55% good to excellent in the final report for 2024 at the end of November and below last year’s initial rating of 56% in early April. However, it was slightly above the average pre-report trade guess of 47% good to excellent. 

Meanwhile, 21% of the crop was rated in poor to very poor condition as of Sunday, up from 12% in November and last spring. 

The 2025 US winter wheat crop got off to a poor start after being planted into overly dry conditions last fall. Excellent moisture in November led to a strong rebound in the condition of the crop heading into winter, but the taps have largely turned off since. Crops were also hit by bouts of extreme cold in January and February before being buffeted by high winds in March on the southern Plains. Crops in some parts of the Plains were also nicked by subfreezing temperatures over the weekend. 

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