The condition rating for most North Dakota crops is up sharply from a year earlier.
The state, which produces many of the same crops as the Canadian Prairies, has so far seen a wetter growing season than last year, with June delivering above-normal rainfall.
Among all crops in the state, the spring wheat crop has seen the largest year-over-year improvement in condition, up 39 points to 81% good to excellent as of Sunday. Although the wet conditions mean the fusarium headblight risk is high in certain areas of the state and there have been some reports of bacterial leaf streak, spring wheat production remains strong, according to the latest update from the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
“Overall, producers are very happy with the condition of the crops and current promising yield potential,” the update said.
The North Dakota durum crop is rated even higher than spring wheat at 88% good to excellent as of Sunday, up from 64% a year ago. More than half of the state durum crop (55%) was also headed as Sunday, 8 points ahead of the average, while that portion of the spring wheat crop at the heading stage, 49%, was behind 56% on average.
The North Dakota oat and barley crops were rated 80% and 78% good to excellent, respectively, as of Sunday, 28 and 33 points higher than a year ago, while the canola crop, at 73% good to excellent, was up 24 points on the year.
The pea crop was rated 89% good to excellent, compared to 66% last year, although development is lagging. Only half of the pea crop was blooming as of Sunday, versus 73% last year and 64% on average.
The sunflower crop was rated 75% good to excellent, up from 46% last year, while the flax crop was 26 points above a year ago at 86%. The dry bean crop was up 8 points from last year but still at a relatively more modest 52% good to excellent.
At 58% good to excellent as of Sunday, the condition of the North Dakota soybean crop was 7 points higher than last year, while the corn crop was up just 3 points to 70%.
Topsoil moisture in North Dakota was rated 97% adequate to surplus, and just 3% short (0% very short) as of Sunday versus 68% adequate to surplus and 32% short to very short last year.
