Wheat Harvest Update

Wheat harvest in the state is getting pretty well wrapped up and several producers have started their winter wheat seeding. Glen Squires, CEO of the Washington Grain Commission, talks about how this years crop shaped up.

SQUIRES: It looked pretty well. There was obviously pockets of frost and heat that hit some of the crop, but for the most part yields were average to above average. We’re looking at about a 145 million bushel crop, which is a little above five year average.

Break that down into class and Squires says things are still good.

SQUIRES: On the white wheat proteins are averaging in the 9.7 percent. Proteins are up for the red wheat, hard red winter. Average protein for hard red spring is up. Test weights are up this year, dockage is down, falling numbers are up, so if you look at the crop as a whole, regardless of the classes, it’s a very good crop.

Squires says moisture levels are also good.

SQUIRES: Moisture level in the crop, regardless of class, is down, so that’s good. Soft white is averaging about 9.6 percent moisture, and hard red winter 9.1.

Squires says certain quantities of Washington wheat will enter the feed market due to the increase demand element after this year’s drought, but it’s too early to tell how much that will possibly be.

The USDA has pegged the average winter wheat crop at 71 bushels an acre, and spring wheat at 56 bushels an acre - both numbers are lower than last year, but still average to above average yields.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.