Spring Wheat Makes Marginal Gains

While spring wheat numbers are still behind the five-year average.

“The spring wheat crop which got a really late a really late start on plantings and emergence, trying to make up some ground, not quite as warm in the north as it was in other parts or the country.”

However, despite that slow start, not all hope is lost.  USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says plantings nationally jumped from 30% to 38% in the past week.  However, that remains well behind the five year average of 67%, and well behind last year’s rate of 75%.  When it comes to emergence, things are moving in the right direction.

“Starting to come a long finally, 14% emerged by May 13^th, the five-year average is much quicker at 36%, last year’s 37%.”

Rippey added it’s very encouraging to see the first signs of spring wheat emergence in Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota.

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