Winter wheat experiences 'interesting' year

Above average crop expected for state as harvest gets under way

WASHINGTON — Washington Association of Wheat Growers director of issues Gretchen Borck doesn't usually hear from her "guys" until Labor Day weekend.

Her guys are the state's wheat growers, and many counties are just getting into the fields for harvest now, meaning Borck is still waiting to hear results. But that doesn't mean she doesn't get the occasional tidbit.

"I'm hearing little bits that they're picking up a good harvest," Borck said. "Even though there was a drought this winter, and too much water this spring, it looks great. They're coming up with average or above average yields."

According to a press release from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), winter wheat production in Washington is expected to reach 127.7 million bushels, 8 percent above 2004. Both an increase in harvested acres and yields from 2004 contributed to the increase.

In an earlier NASS release, the results of a national and state survey conducted in early June showed that Washington growers will harvest 1.85 million acres of winter wheat in 2005, the highest acreage since 2.10 million acres were harvested in 1998.

"With winter wheat, you get some winter kill," explained Linda Simpson, agricultural statistician for NASS. "We had a mild winter, and a lot of rains at good times during the spring."

Simpson added that the winter wheat yields are still holding up, with thick fields and good heads.

"It may not be a record, but winter wheat growers are definitely pleased," she said.

"It's an interesting year," said Tom Mick, CEO of the Washington Wheat Commission, of 2005. "We had fairly good moisture when we planted winter wheat last fall, and then no moisture for almost five months. By mid-April, we were ready to write the crop off."

Then in April, growers experienced what Mick called good, gentle rains.

"They were just continuous, which created a bountiful crop," he said.

Winter wheat is planted in the fall, grown until it freezes and then goes through a vernalization period, being exposed to cold temperatures so that it can form a head or create seeds, growing in the spring until harvest.

Spring wheat is planted in March or early April, and harvested near the same time as winter wheat. Mick said there are 440,000 acres of spring wheat in the state, compared to 1.9 million acres of winter wheat. Spring wheat yields much less than winter wheat, he explained, but provides a valuable service in crop rotations.

While other areas did not experience weather like the Columbia Basin, Mick said an above average crop of winter wheat is expected overall for the state, with a yield forecast of 69 bushels per acre. If achieved, it would be the third highest yield for the state in the last 15 years.

While bigger yields are supposed to be beneficial, another factor that comes into play is price, which has dropped dramatically in the last month, Mick said, due to many factors in the world creating new competition for the state's wheat, leading to price depression and surplus production.

"On one hand, we're very pleased to have a bountiful crop," Mick said. "On the other hand, when this happens, the price goes down. The farmer has to hope the increased yield will off-set the price decrease."

Mick said it would not be appropriate to make a general statement about the outlook for the season, as harvest is just getting started in the areas with higher production — lower production areas are virtually finished, he said — and each farmer has unique circumstances.

"It's too early to say what we're going to get, but it looks positive for a strong crop," he said.