Concerns for Wheat Crop

Concerns for Wheat Crop

Maura Bennett
Maura Bennett

The Crop Progress Report for January will be out next week but there are some concerns about the condition of the wheat crop.

Rippey:“To this point, the biggest problems with winter wheat have been across the southern half of the hard red winter wheat belt. Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. It’s a combination of drought and some early season sharp cold snaps that did not allow the crops to become well established before dormancy.”

Brad Rippey USDA Meteorologist speaking with the agency news service.

In the most recent crop progress report for Colorado, the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Mountain Region office reported that overall, soil moisture supplies declined from the previous report. So did the condition of winter wheat. Reporters in eastern counties noted moisture was needed and received snow did not contain much moisture content. December also brought high winds, detrimental to winter wheat. Livestock producers were using feed and supplement sources and/or grazing crop residue. In southeastern counties, a reporter noted some producers chiseled their wheat crop to help prevent blowing soil. In the San Luis Valley, a reporter noted hay supplies were mostly adequate, but livestock supplemental feeding was higher than normal due to snow cover.

The Monthly for January will be released on Monday, January 27.

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