06/04/08 Winter wheat development still lagging

Farm and Ranch June 4, 2008 USDA reported no change in the condition rating of the U.S. winter wheat crop over the last week with 47 percent rated good to excellent, just six points behind last year at this time. In the Pacific Northwest Idaho and Oregon winter wheat saw a slight improvement in good to excellent ratings while in Washington there was a decline. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says winter wheat crop development continues to run behind normal. Rippey: "Looking at heading progress, no surprise here with cool weather continuing to slow development. Only 3/4s, 75 percent of the wheat crop headed by June 1st. The five year average is 84 percent. We are still not seeing any heading progress at all in Montana. The five year average is 4% there. Also running behind in most other states in the north. Idaho only five percent headed. Five year average pace 14%. And the only states we see heading in the entire winter wheat crop now is Arkansas, California and North Carolina." In Oregon 55 percent of the winter wheat is headed compared to the five year average of 68 percent. Washington's winter wheat is 44 percent headed. The five year average is 55 percent. Nationally spring wheat ratings showed a five point improvement over a week ago with 57 percent in good to excellent condition, still well below last years crop at this time. The U.S. corn crop was 95 percent planted to start this week with emergence at 74 percent, 15 points behind the five year average. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.