EU Wheat in Good Shape After Rain Eases Concerns Over Dry Spring
Reuters – 05/17/2019 Welcome rain in the four largest European Union wheat producers raised hopes for a good harvest this summer after a dry spring sparked fears of a repeat of last year’s drought-damaged crop, experts said on Friday. “Some EU wheat was on a knife-edge as spring weather suddenly turned very dry and soil is still unusually parched after last summer’s historic drought and heatwave,” one German analyst said. “The rain caused sighs of relief.” In the EU’s largest producer France, wheat is mostly in good shape after widespread rain this month reduced dryness and maintained decent yield potential for this summer’s harvest. After falling during April, crop ratings estimated by farm office FranceAgriMer have stabilized, with 79% of French soft wheat rated in good or excellent condition in the last two weeks. “The situation is looking good,” said Catherine Cauchard, head of FranceAgriMer’s cereal crop monitoring service. “Crops have made the most of the rain which has been very beneficial.”
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China a Factor as U.S., Mexico, Canada Agree to Remove Tariffs
Successful Farming– 05/20/2019 The three largest countries in North America announced an end to the 11-month battle of tariff and retaliatory tariff that pinched U.S. farm exports to Canada and Mexico, the two largest customers in the world for the goods. The agreement improved the prospects for ratification of the new NAFTA and altered the dynamics of the Sino-U.S. trade war. “This agreement is great news for American farmers who have been subject to retaliatory tariffs from Canada and Mexico,” said the U.S. trade representative’s office. The U.S. said it would remove tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico, and the U.S. neighbors said they would remove retaliatory duties on U.S. products including food and agriculture. “We’ll be selling our product into those countries without the imposition of tariffs or major tariffs. Big difference,” said President Trump on Friday. “And hopefully Congress will approve the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) quickly.”
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Crop Progress Report May 20, 2019
North Dakota Wheat Commission – 05/20/2019 Last week, warmer drier conditions allowed good planting progress in North Dakota. Producers in North Dakota now have about two-thirds of their spring wheat in the ground, up from 37 percent last week, but still behind both last year’s pace and the five-year average of 74 percent. The weekend brought rain to many areas and even snow to the southwest part of the state, stalling fieldwork in those areas. Unfortunately the wet conditions look to persist this week which will cause planting delays for some producers. In other areas, particularly the north central part of the state, producers could use moisture as that area has missed much of the recent precipitation. Nationally, 70 percent of the spring wheat has been planted, compared to 76 percent last year and 80 percent on average. Percent of the crop planted by state ranges from 66 percent in North Dakota to 76 percent in Minnesota. The cool conditions have also slowed emergence. In North Dakota less than 20 percent of the spring wheat has emerged, compared to 27 percent last year and 42 percent on average. The forecast for the week ahead shows below average temperatures. Across the region, about a quarter of the spring wheat has emerged, compared to 51 percent on average.
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Way Wet Spring Changing Farmers’ Planting Plans
Capital Journal – 05/20/2019 In the past seven weeks, from April 1 until Monday, May 20, there have been only 9.2 days “suitable for field work,” across South Dakota,, according to the weekly crop progress reports from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service in Sioux Falls. The weekly reports are garnered from county crop watchers, often SDSU agricultural extension agents and are not based on scientifically weighted surveys, but are experts’ subjective evaluations. Obviously, some parts of the state have seen less rain and snow and flooding than others. But the reports are based on experts who are driving around their counties and talking to farmers…Spring wheat planting was pegged at 70 percent, based on the subjective estimates from each county, when normally 94 percent of the wheat would be in the ground.
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Wheat Breeders Connect During Grain Commission Meeting
Capital Press– 05/16/2019 Breeders from Syngenta, WestBred Bayer, Limagrain and Washington State University recently met to discuss ways to further assure the high quality of new wheat varieties before they’re released. The breeders met May 15 during a Washington Grain Commission meeting in Spokane.
“It’s a rarity when there becomes an opportunity for them to all to come into the room to work for a common solution,” said Mike Miller, a commissioner and Ritzville farmer. The commission wants to develop tests that provide value to the companies and WSU. The changes would build on efforts to assure the baking or milling qualities that overseas buyer require. “I think we’ve identified couple things we can do better as a commission and an industry, Miller said. “We’ve got a great system, let’s just make it better. The commission can help provide milling and baking quality data from the Western Wheat Quality Lab to the breeding programs earlier in the process, said Glen Squires, commission CEO.
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Source: US Wheat Associates