Wheat Update & Burn Ban

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

The most recent crop progress and condition report shows that winter wheat is quickly maturing with harvest expected to begin in the next few weeks. Overall 43% of the crop is in fair condition, 27% is in good condition, and only 3% can be considered in excellent condition . Chad Denny, who farms out side of Spokane, says that he has been busy preparing for harvest and that his wheat looks to be in that fair range.

DENNY: It came out of the winter pretty tough from the freezing weather. I reseeded some. All in all it looks okay. I would say we're a little under average is what I would expect for yields.

He says it looks like his wheat will be ready right on schedule.

DENNY: At this point, if it stays dry it will bring it on quicker, but I think it will be right on time. I would lean towards definitely not going to be a late harvest.

The state's winter wheat production is estimated to drop 5 million bushels from last year.

A burn ban on state-protected lands in Eastern Washington will continue through September 30. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources says that the extended ban is do to dry weather and fuel conditions, and that it could be extended to Western Washington as well. For more information on wildfire activity and burn restrictions visit the state Department of Natural Resources website at www.dnr.wa.gov.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.