The U.S. winter wheat harvest neared the halfway mark, while spring wheat conditions improved this past week, according to Monday’s USDA crop progress report.
The winter wheat harvest reached 48% complete as of Sunday, up 8 percentage points from the previous week. Progress remained well ahead of 34% a year earlier and the five-year average of 39%.
In Kansas, the largest winter wheat-producing state, the harvest advanced 14 points to 72% complete, compared with 48% last year and the 52% average. Oklahoma reached 98%, up from 95% a week earlier and well ahead of its 81% average. Texas moved to 82% from 77%.
In the Soft Red state of Ohio, the harvest reached 7% complete as of Sunday, up from 3% a week earlier and compared with 12% last year and 15% on average. Michigan held at 1%, matching its average but trailing 4% last year.
National winter wheat conditions were unchanged, with 26% of the crop rated good to excellent. That remained far below the 48% reported a year earlier.
Kansas held at just 14% good to excellent, while Oklahoma and Texas remained at 9% and 12%, respectively. Michigan improved 6 points to 66%, and Ohio gained 5 points to 67%.
Meanwhile, the condition of the U.S. spring wheat crop improved, rising 5 points to 59% good to excellent. That was 6 points above the 53% rating from a year earlier.
North Dakota climbed 6 points to 64% good to excellent, while Minnesota improved 4 points to 89%. South Dakota gained 3 points to 53%, and Montana increased 5 points to 33%.
Spring wheat development also accelerated, with 32% of the crop headed, double the previous week’s 16%. Progress remained slightly behind 35% last year and the 34% average. North Dakota reached 25% headed, up from 9%, while Minnesota advanced to 39% and South Dakota to 68%.
