Harvest USA Report Hale Broadcasting

The appearance of stripe rust adds insult to injury to this year’s wheat crop, but Kansas growers should scout fields and have their management strategy ready for this yield- and quality-limiting disease. Stripe rust has now been detected in 35 Kansas counties, according to Wheat Ag Pest Monitor.
While most of these observations have been at low or trace levels, the K-State Agronomy eUpdate issued on May 2, 2024, noted, “Up until this point, the disease has largely been limited by lack of moisture.” Scattered showers across the state over the weekend and into the start of the week have reduced that limiting factor.  

According to Ross Janssen, Chief Meteorologist for Storm Team 12 in Wichita, the precipitation in Dodge City last month was 0.02 inches, tying the 1909 record for the driest April on record.
What’s even worse than a continuing multiyear drought is the loss of hope being felt throughout central and southern Kansas for a crop that, in January and February, was one of the better-looking wheat crops they’d seen in the past ten years.
The condition of the crop has been deteriorating rapidly, especially over the past few weeks, going from 57 percent good to excellent on February 25 to only 31 percent good to excellent by April 28, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
It has suffered from lack of moisture for much of the growing season, especially during the spring green-up. The Kansas wheat crop is also ahead of schedule, with one-third already headed, well ahead of 9 percent last year and 6 percent average. A March 26-27 freeze event took a toll on it, as there was not enough snow cover, and the plants were more advanced than they typically are at the end of March.

Texas AgriLife Extension brings us an update from the Kevin Huffman Hard Red Winter Wheat Trial near McGregor, Texas on today's Harvest USA Report.

There is NO typical, or normal, season for Heil Harvesting. Listen in to find out why...

Imagine starting out in custom harvesting and pretending you are Howard Hale doing the Harvest Report with your crew! Listen in for a fun reflection and a report from Sanders Harvesting cutting in Uvalde, Texas.

Listen in for the latest numbers from the USDA / NASS on Kansas Wheat Ending April 28