11/09/05 Moisture helps wheat emergence

Farm and Ranch November 9, 2005 The Weekly USDA Crop Progress report says that at the start of this week, 95% of the U.S. winter wheat crop had been planted, 4 points ahead of last year and three points ahead of normal. Planting was complete or nearly complete across the Corn Belt and northern and central Great Plains and was at or ahead of normal in all states except Washington, Oregon, California and North Carolina. Seeding was at 99 percent compete in Washington, 90% in Oregon. Nationally emergence advanced to 84 percent which is ahead of last year and the 5-year average. Warm wet weather in the Pacific Northwest favored emergence which in just the past week advanced 16 points in Idaho, 26 points in Oregon and 18 points in Washington but still remained behind normal in all three states. As for crop condition, Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist, says the winter wheat crop is suffering in several areas of the U.S. due to soil moisture shortages. Rippey: "In particular we are looking at four states with more than ten percent of the crop in very poor to poor condition. Starting with Texas and the big problem spot there is the Texas panhandle and statewide 30% of the Texas wheat very poor to poor. Other states very dry Arkansas 24% and South Dakota 13% very poor to poor." Nationally at the start of this week 57% of the winter wheat crop was rated in good to excellent condition with 10% at the other end very poor to poor. Overall that is a decline from last week. Rippey: "And nowhere near as good a wheat crop as we started off with last year. At this time last year 78% of the wheat was rated good to excellent." I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.