The jury remains out on possible cold weather damage but the condition of the winter wheat crop in the top US production state of Kansas ticked higher in January.
Monthly condition ratings released by the USDA pegged the Kansas crop at 50% good to excellent as of the end of last month. That’s up 3 points from the end of December but still 5 points below the final weekly condition rating released near the end of November.
Winter wheat crops in Kansas and much of the central Plains and parts of the Midwest were hit with blast of arctic air last month, potentially causing some damage to those fields that were without a protective snow cover. However, the full extent of the injury likely won’t be known until temperatures rise and plants start to green up.
The condition of the Oklahoma crop showed some decline, dropping 5 points from December to 40% good to excellent as of the end of January – now 8 points below the late November rating. The condition of the Colorado crop also fell, falling to 57% good to excellent from 70% at the end of December and 68% in November.
The Soft Red crop in Illinois was rated at 65% good to excellent as of the end of last month, down 4 points from December and well down from 80% in November. The condition of the Ohio crop slipped 2 points from the end of December to 55% good to excellent, down from 70% in November.
The USDA’s first winter wheat crop conditions report in October pegged the national crop at just 38% good to excellent, the second lowest rating in records dating back to 1986, driven by a hot and dry planting season. However, much-needed rain and snow in November eventually pushed the nationwide winter wheat condition rating up to 55% good to excellent. In Kansas, winter wheat rated good to excellent increased by 15 percentage points between Nov. 3 and Nov. 24 - the largest increase since at least 1987.
