11/12/08 Late U.S. corn harvest impacting winter wheat acres

Farm and Ranch November 12, 2008 In that supply and demand report earlier this week the USDA reduced its forecast for seed use of wheat. Joe Victor of Allendale Incorporated explains why and what it means. Victor: "Lateness in the corn harvest progress that we are not going to be putting in the same kind of wheat acreage that we had initially anticipated. Acreage could be down as much as two to three million acres for 2009 harvest." USDA says the limited planting opportunities are for both soft red and hard red winter wheat. At the start of this week 94 percent of the total U.S. winter wheat crop had been planted, right on the five year average. In the Northwest, Washington and Idaho had planted 99 percent of their winter wheat and Oregon 93 percent. Allendale's Joe Victor says we could see a battle next spring for acres among, spring wheat and corn. Victor: "Our models right now are suggesting an increase in acres for corn of at least 3.4 million acres. Where do those acres come from? An initially farmers in the northern plains are telling us most likely a little bit less spring wheat, trying to maintain soybeans about where they are." The USDA will issue the first estimate of planted winter wheat acreage early next year. The first indication of spring wheat acres likely to be planted in 2009 will come in the Planting Intentions report in March. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.