from USW Wheat Letter
U.S. Wheat Associates

USDA's weekly crop condition and progress reports began this week, reporting that 48 percent of the nation's winter wheat crop is in good to excellent condition, slightly below the 51 percent rating at this time last year. Planting of spring wheat, on a national basis, is 6 percent completed, compared to 4 percent last year.

With help from U.S. Wheat Associates membership, representing 85 percent of U.S. wheat production, we are able to provide some observations directly from the fields. The reports below, from state agriculture department data, is supplemented with the latest news from America's wheat farms.

(For the benefit of overseas subscribers who may not be familiar with the U.S. states, we've organized the information on a regional basis, depending on wheat class production.)

SOUTHWEST (Arizona and California producers grow hard red winter, hard white and durum wheat.)

ARIZONA -- Small grains emergence is complete, while heading is just getting underway. There was 24 percent of durum and 23 percent of winter wheat reported as headed.

CALIFORNIA -- Warm temperatures benefitted the growth and development of small grain crops. Most dryland and irrigated fields of winter wheat were reported to be in good condition. Seed head development was noted in some fields. Irrigation continued in a number of small grain fields to sustain optimal growth.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST (Idaho, Oregon and Washington producers primarily grow soft white wheat, with some hard red winter, hard red spring, and an increasing amount of hard white wheat.)

IDAHO -- Seventy percent of the state's winter wheat was reported to be in good condition, with 27 percent rated fair and 3 percent rated excellent. According to commissioners from the Idaho Wheat Commission, winter wheat looks better than it did a month ago but it will take some replanting. In eastern Idaho, one grower's winter hard white wheat is the best he's ever seen. The commissioners report that it looks like it's going to be a great spring, and spring wheat planting is ahead of schedule. There was little moisture in March so water is a little low. However, water stream flows are 70 to 80 percent of normal, which is much better than last year.

OREGON -- Unseasonably warm weather prevailed over much of the State last week, as high temperatures generally ranged in the seventies. Producers were busy working on equipment and preparing fields for planting. Spring planting is well underway in some areas. The winter wheat crop appears to have survived the winter with very little damage. Statewide, additional rain would be welcomed in order to "kick start" pasture and crop growth.

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wheat Commission program director, Eric Zakarison, reports that winter wheat is actively growing in eastern Washington with warming temperatures. Stand ratings for soft white and hard red winter wheat range from excellent to patchy. Many growers were forced to replant winter wheat in December and even into January due to winter kill from unseasonably cold temperatures coupled with high winds in late October and early November. Some winter wheat losses also occurred in the Palouse due snow drift smothering, and bare patches are common on north-facing slopes. Winter wheat planted early last fall is tillering and looks good, while seedlings in replanted fields are small. Soil moisture conditions are average to below average. March was very dry in the Pacific Northwest, and without rains in April and May, significant reductions in yield for both winter and spring wheat will undoubtedly occur. With the warm, dry weather, spring wheat planting is rapidly concluding in most areas, up to two weeks ahead of normal in some situations. Winter and spring wheat crops could still do well with rain, but the likelihood typically diminishes in the PNW as spring wears on.

NORTHERN STATES (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota is hard red spring wheat country, with hard red winter wheat grown in Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. North Dakota has most of the country's durum production.)

NORTH DAKOTA -- Above normal temperatures and dry conditions led to fieldwork getting underway in several counties according to the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Producers in the northeast district are trying to recover from the recent flooding. Field conditions across the state are improving. A few farmers have started sowing small grains. Planting progress was 1 percent for spring wheat. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 5 percent very short, 21 short, 63 adequate and 11 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 7 percent very short, 31 short, 58 adequate and 4 surplus.

SOUTH DAKOTA -- Randy Englund, executive director of the South Dakota Wheat Commission, reports that their winter wheat is fair to good with 94 percent of the state's crop breaking dormancy. Summer fallow wheat is in worse shape than continuous crop wheat. About one-third of the state needs topsoil moisture. The dry area is generally west of the Missouri River and in places like Philip and Faith where there's been less than an inch of moisture since the first of the year. The commission did some soil sampling in the last two weeks in central SD. Within a week's time, subsoil moisture went from 15 inches to 12 with warm temperatures and wind. Spring wheat is being planted in central SD and in some areas in north central SD as moderated temperatures have provided an early spring warm up. The first weekly crop report of the season shows 12 percent of the spring wheat had been planted compared to last year's 8 percent and the five-year average of 11 percent. Spring wheat is 1 percent emerged.

MONTANA -- Winter wheat conditions are beginning to decline due to the warmer temperatures and limited moisture, according to the state agriculture department. Montana did receive some snow moisture, which will, hopefully, begin to turn conditions around. Winter wheat conditions are rated 6 percent very poor, 14 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 39 percent good and 3 percent excellent.

WYOMING -- Last week had above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation, and moisture and irrigation water concerns are intensifying. Spring wheat seeding picked up the pace over the last week with 14 percent of spring wheat planted at week's end, ahead of last year and the 5-year average pace. Thirty-one percent of the winter wheat crop was in good condition compared with 20 percent last week. The rest was in mostly fair condition. Last year at this time, 28 percent of the winter wheat crop was in good condition.

GREAT PLAINS (Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas make up the core of hard red winter wheat production, with a small amount of soft red winter wheat. )

COLORADO -- Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels continue to be well below normal for this time of year. The winter wheat crop was 10 percent jointed by the end of the week, well ahead of both last year at 1 percent and the average at 2 percent. Continued lack of moisture coupled with unseasonably high temperatures is responsible for 61 percent of the state's winter wheat crop to be rated in very poor to poor condition. There's a small amount of hard red spring wheat grown in one area of Colorado, and that crop finished the week at 17 percent seeded, behind the average of 21 percent seeded. Spring wheat was 4 percent emerged by week's end, close to the average pace of 3 percent emerged.

KANSAS -- Twenty-seven percent of the wheat is jointed, compared to 23 percent last year and 25 percent for the 5-year average. Wheat condition is rated 10 percent very poor, 18 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 34 percent good, and 9 percent excellent. Statewide, topsoil moisture was rated 7 percent very short, 25 percent short, 62 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 25 percent very short, 30 percent short, 41 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. Some scattered showers fell throughout central and eastern Kansas last week. Precipitation in the western third of the state is needed as dry conditions continue.

NEBRASKA -- Above normal temperatures in March prompted an early "green up" of wheat and pastures, according to the USDA's Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Service. However, Ron Stoddard, executive director of the Nebraska Wheat Board, reports that drought conditions continue to hamper the viability of the wheat crop in Western Nebraska. 34 percent of the wheat is considered to be in poor or vary poor condition, 26 percent good condition, and 3 percent excellent. Recent rains in the eastern part of the state has that wheat in mostly good to excellent condition.

OKLAHOMA -- Winter wheat conditions changed very little from last week, rated at 10 percent excellent, 48 percent good, 30 percent fair, 9 percent poor and 3 percent very poor. Weather conditions have been sporadic throughout the state. Some counties were reporting good progress with favorable weather conditions and the crop outlook was looking good. However, other counties were reporting a lack of moisture and dry conditions which was stressing the growth of wheat.

TEXAS -- Wheat in the Panhandle and other areas continued to show improvement. Statewide, wheat condition was rated at 65 percent of normal compared with 65 percent last year.

EAST (The states on the east side of the Mississippi river are the large soft red winter wheat producers. These states include Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.)

ARKANSAS -- Soil moisture supplies are adequate, rated 0 percent very short, 13 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. Wheat fertilization is near completion.

KENTUCKY -- A relatively mild winter helped keep Kentucky's winter wheat crop in mostly good to excellent condition. Producers reported 6 percent of the wheat lost due to winter kill. As of April 4, winter wheat condition was 1 percent poor, 17 percent fair, 60 percent good, 22 percent excellent.

MARYLAND -- Air temperatures over the past week were in the 40's and most areas received over an inch of rain making topsoil and subsoil moisture mostly adequate to surplus. A wheat producer with the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board reports that, on the Shore, small grain is progressing nicely since the application of nitrogen, etc. They've had the showers, he says, now they are waiting for some sun and heat units! At last report, the condition of winter wheat is 8 percent excellent, 63 percent good, 22 percent fair, and 7 percent poor.

NORTH CAROLINA -- The wheat crop needs rain. The dry spell continues with much of the state, especially in the east, only receiving a half inch or less of precipitation for the week. Rainfall deficits range from a little over an inch to almost 9 inches below normal since January 1. Wheat rated 2 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 59 percent good, and 9 percent excellent.

VIRGINIA -- Almost all of Virginia is behind in average rainfall totals for this time of the year. The Commonwealth was cold and wet last week, with most areas experiencing up to one inch of rain but, despite the recent rain fall, most counties are still short on precipitation for this time of year. Winter wheat is rated 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 47 good, and 11 percent excellent.