New: Wheat Harvest Update, June 11, 2015

The wheat harvest is just getting under way in Texas near Wichita Falls and custom cutters this week reported low yields and low test weights from the fields that were firm enough to allow combines.

Abundant rain has delayed the harvest and some fields are still too wet for combines, custom harvesters told Farm Futures this week.

Early yields have ranged from 8 to 30 bushels per acre, but the consensus among the harvesters was yields will be down.

Mike Strunk of Strunk Harvesting from Silver Lake, Kan., on Thursday was operating near Seymour, Texas, about 45 miles southwest of Wichita Falls.

Disease pressure light in early fields, Texas wheat harvesters report

"We can't get into a lot of the fields yet, even though we are running duals," he said. "The yields are extremely disappointing."

Yields of 8 to 20 bushels were common in the early cut fields there versus a more typical 18 to 35, he said. Test weights of 57 to 58 pounds per bushel were common with some 59.

Disease pressure so far has been light, with the biggest problem for combines is fallen wheat stalks, which has made harvesting difficult.

"We are using a 'crop lifter' to get the wheat off the ground," said Shorty Kulhanek, of Kulhanek Harvesting, Colby, Kan. "The is no sprout damage, but yields are a little lower because of the rain."

Kulahnuk was operating about 45 miles south of Wichita Falls and said local forecasts call for about a week of clear weather, which should dry fields and accelerate the harvest.

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Holland Harvesting, Litchfield, Minn., also was operating near Wichita Falls and was using tracks on the combines to prevent damaging muddy fields.

"The (wheat) heads are in the mud and water. It is hard to get it out," said Sue Holland.

Test weights from the early fields are running about 55 pounds, which is prompting some elevators to dock prices, she said.

The wheat is ripe and ready for cutting. Like the other cutters, Holland said disease pressure was light and the biggest hurdle was accessing the wheat in the wet fields.

USDA in May forecast Texas wheat production this year at 131.25 million bushels on an average yield of 35 bushels from 3.75 million acres. A year ago, the state harvested 67.5 million bushels at 30 bushels per acre from 2.25 million acres.