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Wheat harvest slowed by weather concernsBy Jennifer M. Latzke Farmers across the High Plains are racing Mother Nature to the elevator this harvest. In recent weeks, scattered weather systems across the Panhandle of Texas, north central Oklahoma and south central Kansas have pushed wheat farmers to bring in their crops before hail, floods, tornadoes and more do the harvesting for them. Kansas Scouts in eastern and central Kansas have reported instances of head scab in some fields, according to a report from Kansas Wheat. Head scab is a brown discoloration of the central stem of the wheat head and the fungus may turn kernels white and create a small pink mass at the base of diseased spikelets. According to K-State Research and Extension Plant Pathologist Erick DeWolf, the situation is the result of wet weather when the crop started flowering and nothing can be done to prevent or cure the problem this season. DeWolf, according to the Kansas Wheat report, said some eastern fields could sustain up to 70 percent yield loss, with some in north central suffering 10 percent loss. South central and western Kansas fields may see 2 to 3 percent to trace amounts of scab. Elevators will dock truckloads of head scab affected wheat, or may reject them altogether. Wheat with head scab can be used as cattle and poultry feed, but the mycotoxins DON (vomitoxin) and zearalenone (an estrogen analog), according to Kansas Wheat, may reduce livestock performance. On a more positive note, though, Alan Meyers, the general manager at OK Cooperative Grain Co., Kiowa, Kan., reported that farmers in his area are about two-thirds finished with wheat harvest and it's been a promising year. Custom cutting crews are making swift work of the fields around Kiowa, even with weather concerns looming. "We did get a little rain night before last (June 17) but the farmers are going again," he said. Meyers reported the elevator is seeing above average yields this year, with test weights running from 58 to 62 pounds per bushel. Wheat coming across his scales is fairly dry, with moisture averaging 11 percent. The Kiowa facility has taken in a little more than 2 million bushels as of June 18, from about 30,000 acres in the area. Oklahoma Unfortunately the Oklahoma Panhandle is on the opposite end of the spectrum. The ADM-Collingwood facility in Guymon, Okla., predicts harvest may wrap up by the middle of the week of June 23. Office Manager Lisa King reported that between the hail storms that wiped out many fields a few weeks ago, and the overall dry conditions this year, the wheat crop is not very good. "We're running from 20 to 30 bushels per acre, and that's irrigated," she said. One customer did bring in a load of 70-bushel wheat, but that's the exception. Across the board, the conservative estimates are that the area will average 58 bushels per acre. On a positive note, the dry conditions have made for high protein wheat, King said. "It may have low test weight, but it also has high protein, which is good for us, but not really for the farmers," she said. It's rare for elevators to pay premiums on protein anymore, she explained. Another positive to this year's harvest is that the dry conditions made for reduced weed pressure in fields and overall cleaner wheat for export. Texas In the Texas Panhandle, farmers are still plugging away at wheat harvest, and will probably do so until July 4, according to Casey Laur, a Junior Merchandiser with Attebury Grain in Amarillo. "In the Panhandle, it's been dry and our yields haven't been as good as others in Texas," he said. The Amarillo area is averaging about 45 to 55 bushels per acre, he added. And, Texas, overall, is looking at 100 to 120 million bushels of harvested wheat, versus Oklahoma with 190 million bushels so far this season, Laur said. "We're seeing some moisture out of some areas, and with pretty good test weights," Laur said. Farmers in the Panhandle are half done with wheat harvest and may be a little longer if spotty rains continue to fall in the area. Like their neighbors to the north, dockage for trash is not an issue this year because of the dry conditions. Laur said Attebury Grain is seeing some pretty clean wheat come across the scales. Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached by phone at 620-227-1807, or by e-mail at jlatzke@hpj.com. 6/23/08 Date: 6/19/08
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