This update is brought to you by the MN Association of Wheat Growers and the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council.
May 26, 2020
2020 Spring Wheat Survey is out! Complete online for a chance to win a cooler. ($350 value)
Drought Monitor May 14th vs May 21st (US Drought Monitor)
Yellow = Abnormally Dry
Wheat Harvest 2020 (Justin Gilpin)
- Texas has been rolling in the southern areas, working their way north.
- San Saba, TX, southwest of Dallas, pretty good wheat, better than average, 50-60-bushel wheat, 59-60 lb test weights
- Batesville was not very good, about 20-bushel wheat.
- There were reports in central TX that were disappointing, of 80-bushel straw only having 40-bushel wheat.
- That is the big concern with freeze damage, the only true way to assess it, is to run a combine through it to know if the heads have blanks or not. Worth watching, especially into Oklahoma.
- US Wheat Associates will do weekly harvest reports starting next week. Register here for their weekly updates…good information.
NAWG Update (Caitlin Eannello)
USDA Announces Details of Direct Assistance to Farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
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- On May 19, 2020, USDA announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) which provides up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Of the six classes of wheat, durum and hard red spring wheat were listed as crops eligible for CFAP payments.
- NAWG issued a statement in response thanking USDA for quickly putting CFAP in place and for allowing certain classes of wheat to be eligible under the program. Further in its statement, NAWG speaks to how CFAP fails to take into consideration all six classes of wheat: “USDA’s methodology behind CFAP neglects to incorporate price drops during the January to April timeframe when wheat farmers were marketing their crop or that local cash prices that farmers were receiving were less than futures prices in many areas of the country. As a result, most wheat growers won’t qualify for CFAP despite being impacted.”
- Through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), producers can apply for assistance beginning on May 26, 2020. Additional information and application forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap.
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2020 MN Legislative Session (Bruce Kleven, MAWG Lobbyist)
- The final week of the 2020 session ended in a whimper. After Governor Walz extended the peacetime emergency on Wednesday with only four days remaining, the pressure to finish on time evaporated. The reason is because state law requires that a special session be called if the Governor extends the peacetime emergency for another 30 days. Since the current peacetime emergency order will expire on June 12, and it will likely be extended a fourth time, a special session will be necessary to provide the legislature the opportunity to review and vote to overturn the decision. Global issues that still need to be resolved include consideration of a bonding bill, addressing the Governor’s powers during the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic, allocation of over $2 billion in federal funds, settling state pay raises for 50,000 workers, providing tax relief for businesses struggling to reopen, and providing direct aid to citizens such as rent and mortgage assistance. The special session is likely to be called on June 12.
NDSU Cover Crops & PP On-Line Café Talks – Join the Zoom Meeting
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- May 27th, June 3rd, 10th, 17th, & 24th
- All dates: 7:30-9:00am
US Wheat Price Report (Claire Hutchins)
- Short-covering midweek supported hard red spring (HRS) and soft red winter (SRW) futures prices while new harvest pressure in Texas and Oklahoma pressured hard red winter (HRW) futures prices week-over-week. MGE HRS futures gained 8 cents to close at $5.09/bu. CBOT SRW futures added 7 cents to end at $5.13/bu. KCBT HRW futures lost 8 cents to close at $4.44/bu. CBOT corn futures fell 1 cent to end at $3.18/bu. CBOT Soybean futures lost 5 cents to end at $8.33/bu.
- Commercial Sales – This week’s commercial sales of 176,000 metric tons (MT) for delivery in 2019/20, through May 14, were down 14% from last week’s 203,000 MT but in line with trade expectations of 100,000 to 250,000 MT. Year-to-date commercial sales for delivery in 2019/20 total 24.6 MMT, 3% ahead of last year’s pace. USDA’s latest forecast of total 2019/20 U.S. wheat exports is 26.4 MMT, up 3% from last year, if realized. Adjustments in commercial sales are often made as the marketing year ends.
MN Crop Progress Report – May 26th (USDA)
- HRS Planted – 86% vs 70% last week vs 84% last year vs 94% 5-year Avg
- HRS Emerged – 51% vs 29% last week vs 41% last year vs 74% 5-year Avg
- Topsoil Moisture – 1% Very Short, 7% Short, 78% Adequate, & 14% Surplus
- Sub Soil Moisture – 0% Very Short, 5% Short, 80% Adequate, & 15% Surplus