March 18, 2005

 

Dryness a concern in western US wheat areas

 

 

Wheat-producing areas in the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies continue to be plagued by warm and dry conditions, reports US Wheat Associates in a weekly newsletter citing information from various weather agencies.

 

Near record-low snow pack in many locations has caused drought to expand across the Northwest. The governor of Washington already announced a statewide drought emergency on March 10, reports US Wheat Associates.

 

"Some farmers in Washington are being forced to delay their decision on whether to plant spring wheat as there is no moisture in the soil to generate germination," said Tom Mick, chief executive officer of the Washington Wheat Commission, in the newsletter, posted on the US Wheat Associates'; Web site.

 

Still, the vast majority of the wheat grown in Washington is winter wheat and that crop "for the most part, is in fairly good shape," Mick explained, "but without spring rains, yields will suffer greatly."

 

However, US Wheat Associates reports that the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, or CPC, calls for above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation during March-May. The Center is reporting that drought should persist from Washington and Oregon into western Montana.

 

Montana producers who depend on irrigation are most affected, said Cheryl Tuck, information specialist with the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, on the Web site.

 

"But if timely moisture doesn't come, the whole wheat-producing area will be involved," Tuck said.

 

Still, Tuck also reported that Montana's wheat areas have had some fairly widespread, heavy, wet snow during the past few days, which is favorable for the crop. Tuck also said the forecast is for about seven more days of rain or rain mixed with snow.

 

According to the CPC: "seasonal rain and snow could provide limited drought relief across central and eastern Montana as well as southern Wyoming, the western Dakotas, and western Nebraska. Because drought has persisted so long over the High Plains, normal precipitation would tend to ameliorate conditions but not lead to full recovery. Above-normal precipitation would be needed for major improvement," the US Wheat Associates Web site quoted the CPC say saying.

 

The US Department of Agriculture is expected to begin issuing US winter wheat crop ratings as well as US spring wheat planting progress in early April.