US Winter Wheat Crop Conditions

Field conditions might be cold and soggy in the Upper Midwest ahead of spring wheat plantings, but the outlook in winter wheat states further south is improving.

The USDA last night said that 63% of winter wheat in Kansas is rated good to excellent, up three points from a week ago. Conditions in Oklahoma saw a similar improvement, also up three points to 68% good/excellent.

Further south still Texas wheat jumped from 45% rated in the top two categories to 55%.

Topsoil temperatures are much warmer in these southerly states on the Great Plains than further north, where a thin layer of snow is still present in South Dakota and Minnesota, keeping fields cold and holding soil temperatures down in the 30's F.

Image courtesy of Martell Crop Projections: