PNW winter wheat harvest picks up
Farm and Ranch Report August 9, 2011 In an update on the winter wheat harvest USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says at the national level harvest progressed just four points this past week. Rippey: “Overall 85% of the U.S. winter wheat is harvested. Five year average is 91%. 87% last year.” In the Pacific Northwest the winter wheat harvest did pick up with Washington growers cutting 13 percent of the crop last week to advance to 20 percent complete. That’s well behind the five year average for now of 53 percent. Oregon farmers harvested 11 percent of their winter wheat last week to reach 29 percent complete. Normally 74 percent of Oregon’s crop would be in the bin now. Eight percent of Idaho’s winter wheat has been harvested, which compares to the five year average of 34 %. Rippey says it’s not only winter wheat that’s running behind. Rippey: “The same will be true for the spring wheat where we are just seeing harvest getting underway in a few states. Six percent of 2011 spring wheat harvested by August 7th. Five year average pace 24% and last year 17%. Leading the way is South Dakota. They have harvested 36% of the crop. Five year average 55%. But harvest not yet underway in Idaho or Montana.” Washington has only two percent of its spring wheat harvested. Just two percent of the U.S. barley crop has been cut. Five year average is 23 percent. The rating of the U.S. corn crop dropped two points this past week to 60 percent good to excellent. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
