Fields of sun-ripened U.S. spring wheat have been so badly hit by drought this year that some farmers are hoping for what they are calling “half the harvest," reports BusinessHala.
When Crop Scouts visited fields in the top producing state of North Dakota last week, they had to move closer to the ground to inspect crops that were about 10 inches or less — about a third of the normal size for this time.
All said, harsh conditions will push spring wheat yields in the state to 29.1 bushels/acre this year, according to the Wheat Quality Council’s final assessment of post-harvest estimates.
Although that’s slightly higher than the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most recent estimate, it would still mean a 41% drop from last year’s crop.
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