As a result of the winter freeze damage across the Southern Plains, progress for the winter wheat crop is slow across the board. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says now some additional problems are showing up in Oklahoma.

"We see 60% of the crop rated very poor to poor," Rippey said. "That's up from 50% a week ago, as the damage becomes more apparent."

Texas has been in the worst shape all along and there was a large jump in its very poor to poor rated wheat from 67% to 74%.

"That was a crop there that was severely stressed by drought to begin with," Rippey said. "So that was a piece of bad news for the Southern Plains even though there was some highly beneficial rain in the last week."

Nationally the numbers are better with 43% of the crop rated good to excellent, 27% rated very poor to poor. Last week those numbers were 42% and 25% respectively.

"Last year at this time was fairly similar with 45% of the crop rated good to excellent," said Rippey. "And 21% very poor to poor in 2008."