While National Winter Wheat Crop Struggles, NW Numbers Are Strong

As we start to head into the final stretch of the winter wheat crop, USDA is reporting that as of Sunday, 95% of the nation’s crop was headed, which is ahead of last year’s 92%, and the five-year-average of 91%.

When it comes to Northwest numbers, 98% of Oregon’s crop is headed, slightly ahead of the five-year-average of 94%, Washington was sitting at 95% as of Sunday, the five-year-average there is 83%, and Idaho’s winter wheat crop is 88% headed, well in front of the five-year-average of 56%.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey noted that harvest is racing along, led primarily by southern and midwestern states.

“One quarter of the 2026 winter wheat crop cut by June 14th, and that is nearly twice the five-year-average of 13% and well ahead of last year's 9%," Rippey said. "And looking at some of those southern states, we have Texas leading the nation, ¾ of the acreage harvested, well ahead of the five-year average of 51%. Just behind is [Oklahoma] 73% harvested. And that's especially impressive when you compare it to the five-year average of 38%. Top producer Kansas already passed the one-quarter mark on harvest, 28% by June 14th; Five-year average is just 8%.”

As of Sunday, none of the Northwest crop had been harvested.

When it comes to the quality of this year’s winter wheat crop, only 27% of the crop is considered good to excellent. Here in the Northwest, 82% of Idaho's crop is good to excellent, 72% of Washington’s crop is in that category, while 42% of Oregon’s winter wheat is considered good to excellent.

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