USDA: Winter Wheat Gets Much Needed Precipitation

The overall condition of the nation's winter wheat crop is still near 30-year lows.

“But the good news is a few production areas have received much needed moisture in recent weeks and that has started to turn the condition around a little bit," noted USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.  He said the improvement is thanks to snow in the north and some rain in the south.  And Rippey said that much needed precipitation has already had an impact.

“34% of the winter wheat rated good to excellent that is up from last week's 32% and even more impressively just 26% of the crop now rated very poor to poor that's a big improvement from last week's 33%."

Some of the best improvements were reported in Montana.  For example, three weeks ago 24% of the state’s winter wheat crop was rated poor to very poor this week that number has dropped to 11%.  USDA also reported improvements in Texas and Oklahoma, but unfortunately, worsening conditions in Kansas and Nebraska.

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