Agricultural News
Wheat Harvest Officially On Hold as June Monsoon Rains Arrive- Audio and Video Updates
Sun, 08 Jun 2014 06:32:54 CDT
The 2014 Oklahoma Hard Red Winter Wheat Harvest is officially "on hold" with multiple lines of storms rolling across Oklahoma, bringing rain to areas that had cracks in the field wider than a VW Beetle. According to Mark Hodges with Plains Grains, the state of Oklahoma is twelve percent harvested ahead of the start of these rains this past Thursday night and Friday. Additional lines of storms have come into Oklahoma's wheat belt on Saturday and Sunday, providing tremendous moisture for spring planted crops, but likely washing away a lot of the better test weight numbers for the wheat that was not harvested before the start of the monsoon like weather. (Picture here is of a Canadian County wheat field- ready for harvest ahead of the rains- and as of early Sunday- still standing and waiting)
On Friday, Farm Director Ron Hays of the Radio Oklahoma Network talked with Mike Schulte about the harvest to date. Schulte was pleased with the quality of the drought reduced crop to date, saying test weight and protein reports from the fields harvested have been really good. He added that the number of bushels that will be harvested in Oklahoma this year will likely be about where USDA pegged the crop in their May crop estimates at 62.7 million bushels- the smallest Oklahoma wheat crop since 1957.
Click on the LISTEN BAR to hear the full conversation that Hays had with Schulte about the crop- the interview touched on the quality and quantity of the crop, plus early results from the test plots of OSU's Jeff Edwards and which varieties are looking good- plus they talked about international customers that are coming in to look at the 2014 HRW crop.
On Friday afternoon, Schulte and the Oklahoma Wheat Commission issued the following Wheat Harvest Report:
"Rains have fallen throughout the wheat belt early this morning putting Oklahoma Wheat Harvest to a halt. In the Southwest regions of the state around Frederick, Chattanooga and Grandfield harvest is pretty much complete with this being one of the worst wheat crops on record regarding yield. Around the Hobart area harvest is approximately ½ complete with the entire state of Oklahoma being approximately 20 percent harvested.
"Yields are ranging all over the board from 6 to 20 bushels being reported in most areas. In central Oklahoma the yield reports are better with the occasional 30 bushel per acre being reported. In areas around El Reno where yields were predicted to be higher, producers have been struggling to get moisture content down in order for harvest to begin. Protein averages are running 12 to 14 percent with test weights so far averaging 59 lbs. statewide.
"Producers do not want to turn the moisture away however in Northern and Central Oklahoma producers and elevator managers have great concern that test weights will be greatly impacted after the predicted moisture for this coming weekend. Farmers are also concerned with fighting mud and possible sprouting if rain persists."
To see the latest report from Plains Grains, Inc (they follow wheat harvest across the entire HRW belt)- Click here for their website.
On Saturday morning, Schulte and Hays talked wheat harvest to date during Ron's In the Field video segment on the KWTV News9 Saturday morning news. Click on the Play button in the video box below to see that conversation.
News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |
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