10/15/08 Winter wheat planting continues

Farm and Ranch October 15, 2008 Many areas of the Pacific Northwest got some moisture over the past week, even some snow, but there is still a need for more moisture for winter wheat. One area the Weekly Crop Progress reports says is very dry is Umatilla County Oregon where seed is being dusted in. Winter wheat planting in both Oregon and Washington were lagging behind the average pace for now with planting in Idaho running ahead. Seeding is 82 percent complete in Idaho and Washington, 54 percent complete in Oregon. Eric Luebehusen, USDA meteorologist, reports on winter wheat planting progress nationally. Luebehusen: "We did see winter wheat progress continue at a steady clip with 73% of the winter wheat planted as of October 12th. That is a 14 point change from last week and it is four points ahead of last year but on par with the five year average." Forty-six percent of the U.S. winter wheat crop has emerged and that is a couple of points ahead of the five year average for now. Emergence in Washington and Idaho is within a point or two of average but in Oregon emergence is well behind at just five percent with the five year average for now being 26 percent emergence. Last year half the U.S. corn crop had been harvested by now but this year only 21 percent is in the bin, 20 points behind the five year average. The potato harvest is 78 percent complete in Washington, 76 percent complete in Idaho. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.