Much of Kansas Wheat Crop in Poor Condition

April 4, 2002

Rainfall during September-October favored planting, emergence, and establishment of the 2002 Kansas winter wheat crop, but low soil moisture levels during spring resulted in poorer winter wheat conditions in Kansas as of April 1 compared to recent years.

Soil moisture levels last fall were much better for wheat growth than those experienced a year ago for the 2001 wheat crop. Precipitation during winter-early spring 2001/2002 was much below normal and that registered in recent years

According the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Kansas farmers planted 9.4 million acres of wheat in fall 2001. This is down 4% percent from the previous year. On March 25, NASS reported that 44% of the Kansas wheat crop was in poor to very poor condition.

In late March 2001, 12% of the Kansas crop was rated as poor to very poor. In March 2000, only 5% of the wheat was rated as poor to very poor. Satellite images from March 2002 indicate that crop conditions currently are greener than those seen in March 2001; however, more of the planted area last year was still dormant or low in growth due to cold spring 2001 weather.