Planting delays still an issue in northern plains
Farm and Ranch June 7, 2011 Spring wheat planting is about wrapped up in the Pacific Northwest and normally it would be close to being completed nationally by now. But not this year. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the cool, wet condition in the northern plains are still hindering farmers and he has the latest numbers on planting progress. Rippey: “Nationally 79% of the spring wheat planted. Five year average pace 98%. Last year 97%. By June 5th still trying to plant 27% of the acreage in Montana. Still left 31% to plant in North Dakota. So, quite a ways to go in those two states.” USDA reports that 79 percent of the U.S. winter wheat crop has headed. Usually its about 85 percent at this time. The heading pace in the PNW is lagging with the most advanced winter wheat being in Oregon at 50 percent headed, 18 points behind the five year average. Ten percent of the U.S. winter wheat was harvested at the start of this week, four points ahead of average. Both hard red winter and soft red winter wheat are being cut. USDA says 94 percent of the nation’s corn crop has been planted though Ohio still has forty percent of its corn to sow. Rippey says the condition of the crop improved over the past week. Rippey: “We did see with the warmer, drier conditions in much of the Midwest for the week corn condition did improve and now standing at two-thirds or 67% good to excellent.” Last year it was 76 percent good to excellent. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
