Pace Of Winter Wheat Plantings Picks Up

Winter wheat plantings have seen some delays nationwide, particularly across the Great Plains due to dry conditions that region has dealt with throughout much of this year.  But that trend turned a corner in the past week.

“We did see a nice jump in the planting progress for winter wheat between the 13th of September and the 20th, a jump more than doubling from 8% planted last week to 17% this week," said USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.  "Still, though, 17% of the winter wheat planted on September 20 is behind a five-year average of 21% and also behind last year's progress of 19%.”

And Rippey noted with cooler, wetter weather in the forecast for much of the central portion of the country, he’s hopefully planting rates will increase nationwide.

Northwest Growers Report A Big Jump In Plantings

Idaho reported 22% of its winter wheat planted on Sunday the 20th, right in line with the five-year average a big jump from the 10% reported just a week earlier.

A similar story in Oregon, where 13% of the crop was planted as of Sunday, even with the five-year average and an increase from the 9% reported on September 13th.

And in Washington, 55% of the winter wheat crop was planted as of this weekend, which is slightly ahead of the five-year average, and well ahead of the 33% reported just a week prior.

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