05/17/05 National winter wheat ratings drop

05/17/05 National winter wheat ratings drop

Farm and Ranch May 17, 2005 The condition of the U.S. winter wheat crop is not as good as it was a few weeks ago. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says continued dry weather in the southern Plain states is the reason. Rippey: "So for example on May 15th the percentage of the winter wheat crop nationally in good to excellent condition 55%. Three weeks ago in late April that figure stood at 68%. And looking also at the very poor to poor number, that figure has increased from three weeks ago 7% of the crop very poor to poor, now up to 12%. One of the major factors has been dryness across the southern Plains. And we have seen Oklahoma now 19% of the winter wheat crop rated very poor to poor. Texas 20%. Those numbers have come up from below 10% several weeks ago as we have seen dryness and only local relief in the last week." However, Rippey says this year's crop is still rated better than the one a year ago. In the Pacific Northwest, Idaho's winter wheat remained at 95 percent good to excellent. Ratings improved in Washington to 77 percent good to excellent compared to 73 percent last week. The rating for Oregon's winter wheat slipped from 58 percent good to excellent a week ago to 54 percent this week. The Washington Agricultural Statistics Service says some counties are continuing to spray spring wheat to guard against rust damage. Franklin County reports heavy amounts of rust appearing, especially on red wheats. In Oregon, wheat aphids and rust were causing problems in some fields in Morrow County. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
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