11/28/07 Winter wheat ratings drop again

Farm and Ranch November 28, 2007 The USDA's last national crop progress report of the year showed another one percent drop in the good to excellent rating of the U.S. winter wheat crop over the past week. Forty-four percent of the crop was rated in good to excellent condition. Last year at this time it was 53 percent. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the main concern continues to be the in the Southern Plains states, specifically Texas and Oklahoma where not only crop emergence is behind but the condition of the crop does not look good. Rippey: "Now looking at the four week time trace for the Texas wheat percentage of the crop rated very poor to poor. That number has increased from 29 to 40 to 47 and now to 53% very poor to poor. For Oklahoma we have seen that number go from 20 to 24 to 22 and then jumping up to 30% this week." Rippey is also watching dryness now in the Southeast. Rippey: "North Carolina had been doing pretty well, but soil condition declined this week from 77% good to excellent down to 57%." Nationally winter wheat emergence is pegged at 89 percent, four points behind average for now. In the Pacific Northwest emergence is way ahead of average in Oregon at 94 percent. In Idaho its 96 percent and Washington's winter wheat crop is 97 percent emerged. Crop ratings in the PNW did slip a little over the last week too. Most of the Washington and Oregon crops are rated fair to good. Most of Idaho's good to excellent. Much of the Inland Northwest winter wheat area has now received some snow. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.