News

MO winter wheat harvest moving quick

USDA says winter wheat harvest is nearing the halfway point in Missouri, well ahead of average for this time of the year.

Ray-Carroll County Grain Growers Grain Origination Manager Clint Boon says winter wheat harvest is just getting started in west-central Missouri. He says yields and quality are better than expected, considering the dry conditions.

“It’s in the 60 to 80 bushel per acre range and the quality is fantastic, overall. There’s 61 pound test weight.”

He says corn and soybeans are doing ok amid the dry conditions.

USDA says Missouri’s corn crop is rated 44% fair, a decline of 3 points from the previous week. Soybean planting is nearing completion, with a majority of the crop emerged and conditions rated 44% good to excellent, a slight decline from the previous week.

Cotton squaring is 38% complete, ahead of the five-year average with conditions rated 65% good to excellent. Rice conditions are rated 60% good to excellent.

Dry conditions continue to affect hay supplies and pasture conditions in Missouri, but overall, conditions improved in the last week. USDA says hay supplies are 59% short to very short. Pasture conditions are at 42% fair.