Spring planting slowed by weather

Farm and Ranch April 13, 2010 Weekly crop weather reports from northwest states show recent cold temperatures slowed spring planting and crop development, and moisture received was quickly dried up in some areas with wind.

Spring cereal planting in Idaho is behind average with 19 percent of spring wheat in the ground compared to 29 percent for the five year average. Thirteen percent of Idaho’s barley has been planted compared to the average of 24 percent. Although seeding slowed in the past week farmers in Washington are well ahead of average with 63 percent of spring wheat sowed and 60 percent of the barley crop planted.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey has this week’s winter wheat rating update.

Rippey: “And we continue to see overall all a very good crop compared to the historical numbers and the crop is now rated 65% good to excellent. That is unchanged from last week and far better than the crop last year at this time at 42% good to excellent. The only real problems we are seeing continue to be primarily in the soft red winter wheat belt and that is related more to problems last fall with late planting and poor establishment. In Illinois for example we see 30% of the crop rated very poor to poor. That number is 31% in Missouri. In North Carolina 20%. Meanwhile we have some excellent conditions across the northwest and also in the plains. More than 70% of the crop is rated good to excellent in Oklahoma and even in Texas, which had had some problems early in the season, the number is up to 58% good to excellent. In Kansas 69% good to excellent.”

I’m Bob Hoff on Northwest Aginfo Net.