January 8, 2024

Winter wheat in Texas, US, performing well at start of 2024, say producers

Wheat producers in Texas, the United States, said their winter wheat is doing better this year and they're hoping to make a good profit.

One of them, Steve Johnson from Olton, has been growing wheat for 42 years. He planted in September and plans to harvest in March. Johnson said it's looking good currently as his farm received about two inches of rain throughout November and December.

"This has been a good year of wheat production," Johnson remarked. He explained that rain helps so much as water is a tight commodity. This is why winter wheat helps his operation as, with less heat stress and evaporation, it takes less irrigation to grow than some summer crops.

"West Texas has been in a pretty substantial drought," Johnson added. "So, our irrigation, our water supply during this whole entire time is decreasing year to year."

He grows the wheat for cattle grazing through March.

"We can choose (if) we want to continue to graze some more, graze the wheat on out, or we will turn and make the choice to make grain out of it and we'll harvest that," Johnson said.

He is optimistic that by March, he will be able to sell his cattle for beef production and make a good profit there. Afterward, he hopes to harvest the wheat.

"We would be optimistic as far as the ability to grow a certain amount of money off of the land we are farming," Johnson said.

- KCBD