Agricultural News
April Rains Improve Winter Wheat and Canola Prospects in 2015- We Check Major and Kay Counties
Mon, 04 May 2015 05:16:56 CDT
April rains have helped the winter wheat and canola crops in the northern half of the state- but the question remains in the very important north central Oklahoma counties- how much damage was done Easter weekend with the freeze that struck northern parts of Oklahoma. In talking with two Oklahoma crop producers- one in the northwest and one in northcentral Oklahoma- there is the expectation of harvest this year- which for many farmers of winter canola and winter wheat- is better than a year ago when abandoned acres were record large.
Don Schieber farms near Kildare in Kay County- he tells us that a lot of wheat in his country looks really good through the windshield when you are driving down the road- but you find lots of freeze damage problems when you stop the pickup, get out and walk the fields. There have been fields already assessed by Crop Insurance adjusters with yield potential as little as three bushels an acre- Schieber believes those fields will end up being planted back to sorghum or soybeans for this growing season. Schieber adds it won't be a bumper crop but as the rains have come and slowed the growth of the crop down- there is a chance to get at least a partial crop from a lot of fields compared to the thinking early in April after that freeze event.
Meanwhile, Jessica Wilcox believes that there is good potential from the winter canola they are growing- it's past the yellow bloom stage- "we have a full pod set, we'll be swthing it in about two weeks, probably- God willing." As for the wheat that she and her husband Clint have on their farm- "the wheat is headed and looks lovely- way better than expected- looking forward to running a combine through it this year."
She acknowleges that the rain came too late for some fields- and a combination of drought stress and freeze damage will mean some wheat in Major County will produce fifteen bushels an acre or less. She also has concerns that stripe rust may hurt the yield potential of some of their wheat.
Later this week- the annual Wheat Quality Council will hold their annual Hard Red Winter Wheat Crop Tour across Kansas and a few counties in Nebraska, Colorado and Oklahoma. At the same time, the Oklahoma wheat crop will be assessed by extension and private industry scouts this week- with the report session Wednesday morning at the conclusion of the 117th Annual Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association annual meeting.
Meanwhile, you can hear the conversations Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays had with both Jessica and Don by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.
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