The 2019 crop quality report from U.S. Wheat Associates says the U.S. spring wheat crop has above average yields and protein levels, but less than ideal quality. U.S. Wheat Associates Vice President of Communications Steve Mercer expected the overall protein to be impacted by growing and harvest conditions, but the early harvested spring wheat has excellent protein levels at 14.5 percent. “There is more wheat from this year that’s still decent quality. We also have excellent wheat in storage from 2018,” says Mercer. “Our customers overseas, we’ve informed them they’ll have to pay more for the high quality. There is sufficient supplies if they need it.” The survey says thousand kernel weights are slightly higher than the five-year average. Disease pressure from fusarium was higher than recent years. Lower falling number values were evident across much of the growing region. Though not all of the spring wheat is harvested for this report, especially in North Dakota. The survey also confirms a smaller and lower quality durum crop for North Dakota. In fact, the regional production, which includes Montana and North Dakota, is estimated at 52 million bushels, down 20 percent from 2018. Twenty percent of the crop remains unharvested as of mid-October. Read more from the survey.
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