Winter Wheat Harvest Passes Halfway Mark; Spring Wheat Condition Down

The U.S. winter wheat harvest moved past the halfway mark last week, while winter wheat conditions held steady and spring wheat ratings slipped slightly, according to Monday’s USDA crop progress report. 

The winter wheat harvest reached 59% complete as of Sunday, July 5, up 11 percentage points from 48% a week earlier. Progress was ahead of the 51% reported a year earlier and the 51% five-year average. 

In Kansas, the largest winter wheat-producing state, harvest advanced sharply to 91% complete, up from 72% the previous week and well ahead of 78% last year and the 74% average. Oklahoma was 98% harvested, unchanged from the previous week but ahead of its 91% average. Texas moved to 89% complete, up from 82% a week earlier and ahead of both last year and the average. 

In the Soft Red Winter states, Ohio harvest progress jumped to 44% complete, up from just 7% the previous week and close to its 46% average. Michigan reached 9% harvested, up from 1% a week earlier and slightly ahead of the 7% average. 

National winter wheat conditions were unchanged from the previous week, with 26% of the crop rated good to excellent. That remained far below the 48% rated good to excellent a year earlier. Kansas held at just 14% good to excellent, while Oklahoma remained at 9% and Texas at 12%. Michigan declined to 59% good to excellent from 66% a week earlier, while Ohio improved to 70%, up from 67%.