05/01/07 U.S. winter wheat ratings improve

Farm and Ranch May 1, 2007 USDA says the Easter freeze has delayed winter wheat crop development in parts of the Plains and Midwest. However, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the overall U.S. winter wheat ratings are still much better than last year and even last week. Rippey: "Nationally though we still have a crop that is looking a lot better than last year. Fifty-six percent good to excellent. That's actually edging back up from last week, 54%. And the percentage of the crop rated very poor to poor currently 19%, a week ago 21%. Last year 38% of the drought affected winter wheat crop was rated very poor to poor at this time." Idaho was the only Pacific Northwest state to show an improvement in its winter wheat this week with 90 percent of its crop in good to excellent condition. Oregon's winter wheat fell four points to 88 percent good to excellent while Washington's crop fell two points to 71 percent good to excellent. Spring wheat planting in Oregon is 97 percent complete. In Idaho 77 percent of spring wheat has been sown, and in Washington 80 percent of spring wheat has been planted. Nationally 34 percent of the spring wheat crop has been planted which compares to the long term average for now of 45 percent. Planting of the U.S barley crop is ahead of average at 43 percent seeded. U.S. corn planting, which is being closely watched by futures traders, continues to lag behind. Twenty-three percent of the corn has been sown compared to the five year average for now of 42 percent. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag information Network.