July 2, 2014 Colorado Winter Wheat Harvest Update

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2014 Colorado Winter Wheat Harvest Update

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

(Note: Farmers and elevators, give me a heads-up {gmostek@coloradowheat.org} when harvest starts in your area, please!)

Winter wheat harvest has slowed over the past few days in southeastern Colorado, with scattered showers the evening of June 30th and early morning on the 1st, and cool and cloudy conditions today.

The USDA NASS Crop Report estimated Colorado at five percent harvested Monday, compared to six percent a year ago and the five-year average of 22 percent on this date.

Skyland Grain in Walsh reported harvest has been quiet since showers Monday night, and cool weather since then.

One Walsh family wheat farm received .85 of rain the last few days and hadn’t harvested much since Monday, and were receiving sprinkles this morning. Harvest had only progressed to 15 percent complete on their farm from 10 percent complete on Monday. They were still harvesting dryland Snowmass hard white winter wheat, which was yielding 40 to 45 bushels per acre, moisture content was 9 to 10 percent, and test weights were very good at 62 to 63 pounds per bushel.

 Harvest near Walsh, June 30

Harvest near Walsh, June 30

Elkhart Coop in Springfield estimates harvest in their area at one-half to two-thirds complete, but progress had been mostly stopped yesterday and today due to showers.  Moisture content has been 11 to 12 percent, test weights good at 61 to 62 pounds per bushel, and reported dryland yields have been 10 to 22 bushels per acre. They were starting to receive hard white wheat.

A Lamar wheat farmer had seen widely variable yields – ranging from 30 bushels per acre for the variety Ripper that had been planted to a field that had been destroyed last year, to 18 bushels per acre with Ripper that had been planted in a summer fallow field, to more typical yields of 9 to 10 bushels per acre that represented the majority of their fields. Sixty-five percent of their planted acres had been zeroed out and destroyed because of drought. They estimated they were half done harvesting the crop that remained. Moisture content was dry, around 9 percent, and test weight was 59 pounds per bushel. Rain in their area had been spotty, and they had been kept out of the fields yesterday until 2 p.m.

Tempel Grain in Wiley reported harvest had not advanced much the last 2 days because of rain Monday night and early Tuesday morning, and a shower this morning.

A Brandon wheat farmer had anticipated starting harvest today but rain yesterday and a cloudy, drizzly morning today, with the temperature at only 55°, was keeping them out of the fields.

Bartlett Grain in Eads reported that they expect harvest for their area to be only slightly better than last year. They took their first loads of wheat last Friday, June 27. Moisture content averaged 11.3 percent, test weights averaged 60.3 percent, protein ranged widely from 9 percent to 14.5 percent and averaged 11.5 percent. Most yields for the area were in the 5 to 12 bushel per acre range, with a few up to 20 bushel per acre. They estimated harvest at 10 percent complete for their area, with harvest being slowed by showers in the area.

 Trucks lined up to deliver wheat at Cargill-Cheyenne Wells on July 1.

Trucks lined up to deliver wheat at Cargill-Cheyenne Wells on July 1.

Cargill-Cheyenne Wells said harvest had come to a stop this morning due to overnight showers, but progress had been made on Monday and Tuesday. They had received about 25 percent of their anticipated intake. Moisture content averaged 12.3 percent, test weight averaged 61 pounds per bushel, and protein averaged 12.9 percent. Reported yields were 15 to 25 bushels per acre.

Cargill-Burlington said harvest had just barely started in their area, and they had only taken a few loads of wheat. It was cool and overcast there this morning and they didn’t anticipate seeing much harvest action until the weekend.

USDA’s June 11 estimate for winter wheat production in Colorado is 89.25 million bushels. This forecast almost doubles last year’s drought-reduced production of 44.28 million bushels. This production report does not consider the updated harvested acreage estimate included below.

Acreage for harvest, estimated at 2.4 million acres in USDA’s June 30 Acreage Report estimate, is up 760,000 acres from 1.64 million acres last year. Average yield is forecast at 35.0 bushels per acre, up 8.0 bushels per acre from last year’s yield of 27.0 bushels per acre. USDA’s average yield and production estimate will be updated in the July 11 Crop Production report.

To subscribe to this harvest update and receive it via email, please email gmostek@coloradowheat.org.

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