USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report - Winter Wheat Condition Rating Down Significantly From Last Year

OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. winter wheat is kicking off the 2022 growing season with the lowest good-to-excellent condition rating in over a decade, according to USDA NASS' first weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.

For the week ended April 3, 2022, winter wheat was rated just 30% in good-to-excellent condition, down 23 percentage points from 53% at the same time last year. Thirty-six percent of the crop was rated poor to very poor, up from 16% at the same time last year.

The winter wheat crop's current condition is also down from what it was before the crop entered dormancy. In its final national Crop Progress report of 2021, released on Monday, Nov. 29, NASS estimated U.S. winter wheat condition at 44% good to excellent as of Sunday, Nov. 28.

"Thirty-two percent of winter wheat in top-producer Kansas was rated good to excellent, down from 54% a year ago," noted DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

"Winter wheat's 30% good-to-excellent rating is the lowest spring start in over a decade," Hultman said.

Winter wheat headed was estimated at 4%, equal to last year and near the five-year average of 3%.

Meanwhile, corn planting was off to an average start at 2% complete, equal to both last year and the five-year average. The bulk of planting took place in Texas, Hultman noted.

Spring wheat planting was estimated at 3%, the same as last year and near the five-year average of 2%. Washington led the way at 27% planted, followed by Idaho at 7% planted, Hultman said.

Sorghum was 13% planted, compared to 14% last year and a five-year average of 14%. Cotton planting was 4% complete, behind 6% last year and an average of 6%. Rice was 12% planted, compared to an average of 16%, and 6% of the crop was emerged, compared to the average of 7%.

Oats were 25% planted as of April 3, compared to 23% last year and an average of 26%. Emergence was at 23%, compared to 18% last year and an average of 23%.

Also notable in this week's report is that nationwide soil moisture conditions this spring were lower than last spring. In the lower 48 states, 63% of topsoil moisture was rated adequate to surplus, down 2 percentage points from 65% adequate to surplus at the same time last year. Subsoil moisture condition was rated 58% adequate to surplus, down 6 percentage points from 64% last year.