May 12, 2014 Colorado and U.S. Crop Report/Production Estimate

Wheat in northeast Colorado - after receiving about an inch of rain and then 4" of heavy wet snow by 6 a.m. on May 8

Wheat in northeast Colorado – after receiving about an inch of rain and then 4″ of heavy wet snow by 6 a.m. on May 8 – photo courtesy Dan Anderson.

The May 12, 2014 Crop Progress Report from USDA NASS-Colorado reported 22 percent of Colorado winter wheat was in very poor condition, 16 percent was poor, 33 percent was in fair condition, 26 percent was good, and three percent was in excellent condition.

From USDA’s May 9 Crop Production Report:

Winter wheat production in Colorado, based on conditions as of May 1, 2014, is forecast at 84.15 million bushels. This forecast is 90 percent above last year’s drought reduced production of 44.28 million bushels and 14 percent above the 73.78 million bushel crop produced two years ago. Acreage for harvest, estimated at 2.55 million acres, is 910,000 acres more than a year ago. Average yield is forecast at 33.0 bushels per acre, up 6.0 bushels per acre from last year’s yield, but 12.0 bushels per acre below the record high yield of 45.0 set in 2010.

This year’s crop was planted under mostly favorable conditions last fall resulting in good but variable stands going into winter dormancy. Following a relatively mild winter, cool temperatures experienced in March and April have delayed crop development to about one to two weeks behind normal, statewide. Damaging wind has produced dust storms and blow-out in the southeastern growing areas. Variable soil moisture supplies ranging from mostly short in the southern areas to adequate in the northern areas currently exist. Final yield will largely be determined by the combination of moisture and temperature conditions during May and June.

U.S. winter wheat production is forecast at 1.40 billion bushels, down 9 percent from 2013. As of May 1, the United States yield is forecast at 43.1 bushels per acre, down 4.3 bushels from last year. Hard Red Winter production, at 746 million bushels, is up slightly from a year ago. Soft Red Winter, at 447 million bushels, is down 21 percent from 2013. White Winter, at 209 million bushels, is down 7 percent from a year ago. Of the White Winter production, 10.9 million bushels are Hard White and 198 million bushels are Soft White.

Colorado topsoil moisture for May 12 was reported at 15 percent very short, 34 percent short, 49 percent adequate, and two percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 24 percent very short, 32 percent short, 43 percent adequate, and one percent surplus.

In USDA’s  May 12 Crop Progress Report for the U.S. (18 winter-wheat producing states), NASS reported 20 percent of U.S. winter wheat was in very poor condition, 22 percent was poor, 28 percent was in fair condition, 25 percent was good, and five percent was in excellent condition.

Download the reports here: [download id=”730″] [download id=”731″] [download id=”732″] [download id=”733″]

2014 Colorado Winter Wheat Crop Condition

Week Ending Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
10/21/13 0 7 39 44 10
10/28/13 1 3 37 46 13
11/4/13 0 5 30 54 11
11/12/13 1 4 33 50 12
11/18/13 1 4 41 47 7
11/25/13 1 5 39 47 8
3/17/14 16 16 33 31 4
3/24/14 15 16 33 32 4
3/31/14 17 16 33 30 4
4/7/14 17 16 32 31 4
4/14/14 17 16 31 32 4
4/21/14 17 15 32 32 4
4/28/14 18 15 31 32 4
5/5/14 20 17 32 28 3
5/12/14 22 16 33 26 3
Previous year 24 24 36 14 2

2014 U.S. Winter Wheat Crop Condition

Week Ending Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
10/21/13 1 3 31 58 7
10/28/13 1 3 35 54 7
11/4/13 2 4 31 53 10
11/12/13 1 4 30 55 10
11/18/13 2 5 30 52 11
11/25/13 2 6 30 53 9
4/7/14 10 19 36 30 5
4/14/14 12 20 34 30 4
4/21/14 13 20 33 29 5
4/28/14 14 20 33 28 5
5/5/14 17 21 31 26 5
5/12/14 20 22 28 25 5
Previous year 20 19 29 27 5

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