Winter wheat planting progress near normal in Washington and Idaho
Farm and Ranch October 6, 2011 This week’s crop progress report from the USDA showed that winter wheat planting in Washington and Idaho is now just a few points behind the five year average. In Washington 75 percent of the crop has been sown. In Idaho 54 percent. The winter wheat planting pace in Oregon is 20 points behind average at 29 percent complete at the start of this week. Nationally forty two percent of the winter wheat crop is in ground, 11 points behind the five year average. Planting has been lagging in the southern plains but USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says that may soon change. Rippey: “We have seen some very slow wheat planting taking place in Oklahoma and Texas. The drought is so bad it is just not been worth it to try and plant the wheat at this point. But even there we will see some we will see some showers and thunderstorms coming in starting Friday and Saturday it looks like the start of a several day wetter spell for the southern plains. And hopefully there will be enough moisture to help get the crop started. And I think over the next few days as producers see this rain coming there will be a very rapid planting pace taking place in Oklahoma and Texas as it looks like some very needed moisture is on the way for the drought stricken southern plains.” The U.S. corn harvest is 21 percent complete, just two points off the average pace. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
