Spring plantings are now seen delayed for at least another two weeks due to the extensively wet conditions, and this weekend's colder temperatures are not expected to speed up the drying process. In the central Plains, more farmers have been abandoning their wheat acres due to reduced yield potential and favorable conditions for planting spring crops such as sorghum. Yield potential was cut in half in many areas after wheat failed to develop adequate tillers. This was due to late hard red winter wheat seedings and colder temperatures forecast through this spring. Even though overall winter wheat seedings are at their lowest level since 1971, at least normal grazing is expected due to high alfalfa prices.
Sources expect some wheat to later be baled for hay as well.
Strong winds and blowing dust in the southern and central Plains have been inducing some damage to wheat fields, wheat sources said. In addition, abnormally cold air is forecast to push south through the Great Plains and Midwest Sunday through Tuesday. Temperatures will be coldest during the middle part of next week, at which time freezes will affect most of the Midwest and central Plains, with frost reaching into interior portions of the southeastern states. Damage is not expected to be serious, but the late-maturing crop will be easily stressed, sources said. A few early forecasts have put the Kansas crop as low as 300 million bushels and the Oklahoma crop at 100 million.