Slow Emergence Saving Winter Wheat Crop

WASHINGTON-(Farm Progress)--The slow emergence of winter wheat in the Central Plains has been a blessing this spring according to USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. There have been several freezes over the past month including ones last week on April 27-28 and again May 2-3.

"In Kansas only 3% of the wheat crop is now heading," Rippey says. "The five-year-average there is 32%."

Meanwhile in the High Plains, drought is continuing to affect the condition of the wheat crop. Monday's crop report showed that while 47% of the crop was rated good to excellent, 22% was rated poor to very poor.

In other parts of the country, weather problems continue to hamper planting progress. Wet weather has plagued farmers this spring as storm systems have delayed planting time and again. While continuing storms have kept many farmers out of the field, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says others are moving forward.

"The percent planted has jumped now from 10% to 27% from last week to May 4," Rippey says. "Finally some producers in the Midwest are able to get out into fields in between storms and despite cool soils."

However Rippey says there are still some tremendous delays being seen in some key corn states such as Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri.

"Despite that we did see nine states of the major 18 production states showing at least 20% planting progress during the week," Rippey says.

The late planting also has emergence lagging behind at 4% compared with the five-year average of 17%.