Winter Wheat Condition Rating Slips Again; Spring Wheat at 45% Good to Excellent

May 28, 2025

The condition of the US winter wheat crop took a step back for the second straight week, while the season’s first rating for the spring wheat crop was underwhelming.

Monday’s USDA crop progress report showed the national winter wheat crop at 50% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 2 points from a week earlier and now 4 points lower over the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, the spring wheat crop was rated just 45% good to excellent, with relatively poor ratings for the Montana and North Dakota crops pulling down the national average.

Last year’s first condition rating for the spring wheat crop was not released until June 3, coming in at 74% good to excellent.

For winter wheat, the crop in No. 1 producer Kansas was rated 48% good to excellent as of Sunday, down a single point from a week earlier. The Oklahoma crop rating skidded 10 points lower on the week to 46% good to excellent.

The Soft Red Winter crop in Michigan was down 1 point on the week to 67% good to excellent, but the Ohio crop was up a single point to 67%.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.