06/21/06 Wheat ratings still dropping

Farm and Ranch June 21, 2006 While the recent rains in the Pacific Northwest have generally benefited winter wheat and small grain crops, crop ratings for winter wheat in U.S. high Plains continues to decline. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says what could be harvested in the southern Plains is done now, but the condition report is still valid for areas further north. Rippey: "The winter wheat crop rated 29% good to excellent but a very large 46% very poor to poor. Last year at this time 50% good to excellent, 17% very poor to poor. Colorado now heading the way, seventy percent, among the states with most or all their acreage not harvested, 70% very poor to poor in Colorado. Spring also starting to s how some decline." For spring wheat, 60% of the crop is now in good to excellent shape nationally. Rippey: "Which sounds pretty good but a week ago that was 67%, a year ago 79%." Spring wheat in the northern Plains and Minnesota suffered heat and moisture stress. Spring wheat ratings in the PNW range from 91 percent good to excellent in Idaho to 66 percent good to excellent in Washington. Winter wheat in the region ranges from 85 percent good to excellent in Idaho to 67 percent good to excellent in Oregon. Nationally, over 38 percent of the winter wheat crop has now been harvested and 21 percent of the spring wheat has headed. Washington's spring wheat at 38 percent headed was well behind the five year average for now of 57 percent. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.