Wheat Conditions Continue To Struggle

As the Wheat Quality Council prepares to set-out on its annual winter wheat tour Tuesday, scouts will get a first-hand look at a struggling Kansas wheat crop. They’ll head into fields armed with the latest USDA Crop Progress data. Monday’s report shows 13% of the Kansas wheat crop is described as good to excellent, 37% is fair, 34% poor, and 16% very poor.

Two percent of the Kansas wheat has reached the heading stage, 22 points behind the 5 year average.

The overall ratings in the 18 states where wheat conditions are monitored did not fare much better. Thirty-three percent is judged as good to excellent. Nineteen percent is heading, eleven points behind the 5 year average.

Corn plantings reached 17% as of Monday, up 12 points from last week, but still ten points behind the 5 year average. Illinois farmers made big gains last week with 32% now planted. While progress was made, it’s still behind the 5 year average of 40% planted.

Iowa corn farmers also moved the bar. Seventeen percent of Iowa’s corn is now planted. Last week the USDA report showed zero corn had been planted.

“We remain behind the five-year average, but hopefully conditions will allow farmers to continue to be in the fields and catch-up to normal,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.

Three states still have not planted enough corn to move the hash mark off zero – Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Usually all three have started by now.

Soybean planting reached five percent which ties the 5 year average this early in the season.