Several key winter wheat production states note condition improvements throughout the course of the winter, as reflected in USDA’s latest State Stories report.

Participants: Rod Bain and USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey

TRANSCRIPT

What does winter wheat crop conditions look like as a whole among states?

Reporting to USDA this time of year, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says within the end of February edition of the Agriculture Department State Stories report, we have had a relatively easy winter.

The crop, generally speaking, has seen improved moisture since planting and other than a cold outbreak that hit in mid January, we have escaped significant weather challenges that could have hurt the crop.

What that means on a state level includes conditions in our number one production state, improving Kansas, which went into this winter, which is 32% of the winter wheat rated in good to excellent condition now coming in at 57% good to excellent.

At the same time, Kansas wheat rated very poor to poor was 32% near the end of November.

That has since dropped to 13%.

Rippey adds similar condition trend improvements are noted for winter wheat throughout the winter in the Great Plains and Midwest.

I'm rod Bain reporting for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C.