11/01/06 U.S. winter wheat crop progress

Farm and Ranch November 1, 2006 The planting of the U.S. winter wheat crop was nearing completion to start this week with 91 percent of the crop in the ground, which is the same as the five-year average for now. In the Northwest seeding in Idaho was called 100 percent complete, in Washington 98 percent and in Oregon 91 percent. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says 73 percent of the nation's winter wheat has emerged. Rippey: "It is emergence with the cool weather that we are seeing some delays and also the west weather in the southern cornbelt. If you look at the emergence numbers Arkansas, Idaho and Oregon running well ahead of schedule. But on the other hand we have states significantly behind in emergence for winter wheat. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Montana and Ohio. Nobody worse than Ohio, just 32% emerged with cold, wet conditions. The five-year average in that state is 70%." As for the condition ratings for the winter wheat crop Rippey says; Rippey: "With the wet conditions in many parts of the country winter wheat condition actually improving to 60% good to excellent. Last week 57%. Percentage rated very poor to poor fell from 10 to 8% and that is on par with last year, 61% and 9% for the good to excellent and very poor to poor numbers respectively." Idaho's winter wheat is rated 97 percent good to excellent, Oregon's 71 percent good to excellent. Washington's winter wheat is only 38 percent good to excellent, 49 percent fair and 13 percent is rated poor. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.