Rippey: Harvest Behind Schedule For Both Winter Spring Wheat

As combines roll across the Pacific Northwest, and the nation, some wheat growers are trying to play a little catch up.  Brad Rippey, meteorologist with the USDA said when it comes to the final look at the winter wheat crop, 95% has been harvested as of Sunday.  Rippey noted there’s still substantial acreage that needs to be harvested across the Pacific Northwest.

“Notably Idaho, just 45% harvested, the five-year average is 85%.  Washington state is the only other of the major reporting states below 90%, coming in this week 73% harvested, behind the five-year average of 86%.”

When it comes to this year’s spring wheat crop, Rippey noted that harvest is well underway.

“Nationally, one-third of the spring wheat harvested by August 21st, that 33% number is well behind the five-year average of 54%, even further behind last year’s drought-stricken crop which had 74% harvested on August 21st. Now there is a wide range of harvest progress.  Remember we had the late blizzard and wetness in North Dakota, so with all of those delays in planting only 18% of the spring wheat has been harvested in North Dakota, where the five-year average is 49%."

Rippey noted the quality of this year’s spring wheat is much better than 2021’s crop, with 64% rated good to excellent, and 8% considered poor to very poor.

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