09/14/06 Winter wheat planting and crop progress

Farm and Ranch September 14, 2006 The planting of the U.S. winter wheat crop for 2007 is underway and at least nationally it's running behind the average pace for now. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says rain is causing delays in some parts of the country. Rippey: "After the spring and summer that we had with heat and dryness would you believe that winter wheat planting is being delayed by rain across the central and southern Plains. Nationally nine percent of the wheat planted by September 10th. Five year average is 12%. We are seeing the greatest delays in Colorado. Eight percent plant. Five year average 20 percent." In the Pacific Northwest winter wheat planting progress is a mixed bag. Idaho is right on pace with the five year average with eight percent of its crop seeded at the start of this week. Oregon had ten percent of its crop in the ground, ahead of the five year average of two percent. Winter wheat planting in Washington at 29 percent seeded was ahead of last year but behind the five year average for now of 34 percent. USDA's Rippey says the U.S. corn harvest is underway. Rippey: "Looking first at the corn harvest number. Our first look this week, six percent. The five year average is also six percent." USDA this week forecast the U.S. corn crop at 11.1 billion bushels which would be the second largest on record. Potato harvesting in the region is 60 percent complete in Washington and eight percent complete in Idaho. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.