Crop Progress and Condition Report
It’s only June but the word for Colorado is Dry.
After last year’s abundance rainfall, the latest Crop Progress and Condition Report may be a harbinger of another bout of widespread drought.
Bill Meyer is Director of the Colorado National Agricultural Statistics Service field office.
Meyer: “Condition rating for winter wheat rated at 29% Good, 2% Excellent and that compares to last year at this time when it was 55% Good and 24% Excellent which is really unfortunate. They kind of had a rough winter and then a dry spring. We did get some intermittent showers throughout the eastern part of the state but we still need some more moisture. The pasture and range condition, that’s only rates 34% Good compared to 67% Good and 15% Excellent last year at this time. People have been able to get a lot of the planting done. Dry beans are 75% planted which is well ahead of normal. Sorghum is 68% planted. Sunflowers are 78% planted which is well ahead of normal also.
The report's soil moisture rating shows topsoil rated at 25% Adequate compared to 85% Adequate and 2% Surplus a year ago.
Meyer: “We need some moisture out here. And now it’s hot again,”
Colorado winter wheat yield forecast is now at 38 bushels per acre. That’s down 11 bushels per acre from last year’s final record yield.
