Rain Boosts HRW Wheat Conditions

State crop updates confirm that last week's timely rains boosted Plains HRW wheat conditions and soil moisture.

The good/excellent rating for the Kansas crop improved to 39% as of March 23, versus 29% a week earlier, while the poor/very poor rating fell from 28% to 23%.

Kansas topsoil moisture improved to 78% adequate/surplus, versus only 44% a week earlier. More rain is needed though, as subsoil moisture is still rated only 36% adequate/surplus.

In Oklahoma 70% of the crop was rated good/excellent, versus 65% a week earlier. Only 6% of the Oklahoma crop was rated poor/very poor.

Oklahoma topsoil moisture was rated 78% adequate/surplus, while subsoil moisture was rated 72% adequate/surplus.

The good/excellent rating for the Texas crop fell three points to 48%, but the poor/very poor rating also dropped two points to 17%.

Overall, Texas wheat crop conditions were rated 70% of normal, versus only 43% a year earlier.

In Colorado, the HRW wheat crop was rated 53% good/excellent and 14% poor/very poor.

Editors note: Richard Brock, Soybean Digest's Marketing Editor, is president of Brock Associates, a farm market advisory firm, and publisher of The Brock Report.

To see more market perspectives, visit Brock's Web site at www.brockreport.com.