The USDA released the first nationwide assessment of the winter wheat crop on Monday. The report showed that 84% of the nation's winter wheat has been planted.
"That is just slightly behind the five-year average of 88%," says USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. "We do see some planting delays in some of the areas that experienced summer crop delays in development. Missouri is 43% planted, 63% is the five-year average; Arkansas 32% versus 48% and in Kansas 83% planted versus the five-year average of 92%."
Rippey says emergence is on target matching the five-year average of 69% and 3% ahead of last year, but says there is a wide range from state to state.
"Both in Montana and Ohio the progress is 14% ahead of the five-year average," Rippey says. "In Montana 90% of the crop has emerged and in Ohio it is at 72%."