Washington, DC
April 13, 2007
An early spring cold snap hit most
of the country last week, potentially imperiling much of the
nation’s wheat crop. Reports from a number of
National Association of
Wheat Growers (NAWG) state associations said it is too early
to tell what damage was actually caused, but that at least some
of the local crop appears to have been hit.
Some reports include:
- Alabama: The
majority of wheat in northern areas is at the flowering
stage and is very susceptible to cold damage. As the week
has progressed, wheat crop damage has become more apparent.
The northern half of the state was the most affected area,
and it is anticipated that the crop will be a total loss or,
best case scenario, that fields taken to harvest will have
such low yields and grain quality that income will not cover
harvest costs.
- Kansas: The
situation was quite varied, with some areas reporting almost
certain damage and some seemed potentially none. For the
most part, it’s still too early to tell.
- North Dakota: Two
snowstorms brought welcome moisture but have delayed
planting.
- North Carolina:
There appears to be some damage, including some fields have
been found with damaged leaves, though the extent is still
unknown. Probably 50 percent of the crop is affected by some
degree of damage.
- Oklahoma: Initial
reports suggested that southwestern parts of the state fared
well, while central into northern parts might not have done
as well.
- Texas: Observations
made by the Texas Cooperative Extension on Thursday suggest
very little damage occurred to the wheat as a result of the
cold temperatures. Apparently, soil temperatures were warm
enough to keep the temperature within the wheat canopy high
enough to avoid damage. Wheat should be reexamined in the
future, but there is room for optimism.
- Virginia: Until
things warm up crop damage is going to be difficult to
assess. Some areas had more than four inches of wet, heavy
snow that actually flattened the crop and broke stems.
Barley and early wheat are more damaged than later wheat.
The
National Association of
Wheat Growers will continue to monitor this situation and
report as needed. |
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