The condition of the 2024 US winter wheat crop took a hefty step back this past week, as things continued to deteriorate in the southern Plains.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the nationwide winter wheat crop at 50% good to excellent as of Sunday. That is down a steep 5 points on the week but remains well up from just 26% good to excellent last year. Meanwhile, that portion of the crop rated in poor to very poor condition ticked 3 points higher to 16%.
Going into today’s report, traders and analysts were only expecting a 1-point decline in the condition of the crop to 54% good to excellent.
In the top production state of Kansas, the condition of the winter wheat crop fell 7 points on the week to 36% good to excellent and is now down 13 points over the last two weeks alone. The Oklahoma crop fared even worse, dropping 11 points from the previous week to 49% good to excellent as of Sunday. The Oklahoma crop rating has fallen 19 points over the last two weeks.
Winter wheat crops in parts of the southern Plains were battered last week by hurricane force winds that reportedly ripped some plants right out of the ground. Flash drought conditions in Kansas and Oklahoma are stressing crops as well.
On the other hand, the condition of the Soft Red crops in Michigan and Ohio were little changed. The Michigan crop was rated 68% good to excellent as of Sunday, steady from a week earlier, while the Ohio crop slipped a modest 2 points to an identical 68%.
Across the country, 17% of the winter wheat crop had reached the heading stage as of Sunday, up 6 points on the week and ahead of 16% last year and 13% on average.
The Kansas crop was 4% headed, 3 points ahead of the state average, while Oklahoma was 10 points ahead of average at 30% headed.
