June 23, 2009

Rain halted wheat-cutting in much of Kansas this weekend, but producers were able to harvest a good amount Friday (Jun 19), according to a report from growers' group Kansas Wheat.

Many areas saw up to three inches of rain, the report said. Farmers in southeast Kansas are waiting for the ground to dry out a bit before they begin cutting again, it said.

"A lot of test-cutting was done on Friday, but a little rain Saturday (Jun 20) morning kept farmers out of the field," the report said about southeast Kansas. "The wheat is dry and ready to cut."

Ada Grain Co. in Minneapolis, Kan., about 25 miles north of Salina, took in 40,000 bushels of wheat as harvest began Friday, the report said. Rain on Saturday "stopped any harvest progress for the weekend," it said.

In Moundridge, about 40 miles north of Wichita, Bruce Otte, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers' director, cut some wheat Friday, with yields averaging about 45 bushels per acre and test weights of 60 pounds per bushel, the report said. It will probably be Tuesday before harvest in central Kansas is in full swing, Otte said.

Harvest had yet to begin in Dighton, about 25 miles east of Scott City, producer Vance Ehmke said. Cutting typically starts June 20 but has been delayed by cool, wet weather, he said. Combines may start rolling Wednesday (Jun 24), he said.

Ehmke is optimistic about yield potential as "wheat likes cool and damp" weather, he said in a crop update. Hard red winter wheat, grown in Kansas, is used to make bread.

"Our wheat yields look pretty respectable," Ehmke said. "This won't be the best crop we've ever grown, but it might make it into the top 25 percentile."

Kansas farmers planted wheat on 9.6 million acres this year and are expected to produce 340 million bushels, with an average yield of 40 bushels, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Last year, wheat was planted on 10.4 million acres and production came in at 356 million bushels, with an average yield of 40 bushels.

Kansas Wheat is the cooperative agreement between the Kansas Wheat Commission and the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers. The group issues harvest reports throughout the cutting season.