At the start of harvest, small-grain farmers are reporting exceptional yields in northern Idaho, slightly above-average yields from southwestern Idaho through the Magic Valley and slightly below-average yields in eastern Idaho.
Disease pressure has been light statewide, and growers say they’re generally pleased by the quality of their wheat and barley.
“Stripe rust is always the big (disease), and we didn’t see that show up this year,” said Cathy Wilson, director of research collaboration with the Idaho Wheat Commission. “We always have some fusarium
headblight, but I haven’t seen any of that in the western side.”
Idaho Falls grain farmer Matt Gellings said strong winds on July 25 and a storm that dumped more than an inch of rain in a short period of time in his area caused sporadic damage to grain fields. He said the
storms affected quality of second-cutting alfalfa, but he is optimistic that dry winds after the storm will help farmers avoid sprout damage.
In northern Idaho, where crops are raised without irrigation, the Wheat Commission’s executive director, Blaine Jacobson, said good growing conditions and ample rain have combined to produce a strong-yielding crop with low protein levels, which is an ideal combination for soft white wheat.
Southwestern Idaho test weights — the average weight in pounds per bushel of cereal, used to predict milling yield — are well within the acceptable quality range at over 61 pounds.
“Protein is good, and we don’t have any falling numbers issues,” Jacobson said, referring to a common problem in wheat, often caused by sprout damage, resulting in starch degradation. “All the way around, in southwest Idaho, it’s looking like an excellent year.”
Richard Durrant, a farmer who runs a grain elevator between Meridian and Kuna that stores grain for about 300 Treasure Valley farmers, said growers in the region began harvesting about July 4, which was nearly two weeks early. He agreed that test weight, protein and quality of the region’s grain are good. Durrant, who deals mostly in soft white wheat, said fall wheat yields are averaging about 140 bushels per acre, which is a little above average but perhaps hasn’t met many growers’ lofty expectations following a wet spring.
Growers who supply Durrant haven’t had trouble with stripe rust or insects this season. Populations of grasshoppers and Mormon crickets elevated too late this season to cause much crop damage, he said.
He said geese depredation was the major headache for his area’s growers, reducing yields by up to 10 percent in some fields.
Twin Falls-area farmer Jim Patrick said the fall barley he recently threshed had no disease issues and has met quality specifications, but he admits yields were “a little below what I wanted.”
Jacobson said combines are just now starting to roll in fields from American Falls through Blackfoot, where protein level and test weight are above average but yields have been coming in “a little below average.”
Kamren Koompin, an American Falls grower who started harvesting irrigated hard red winter wheat July 25, said his yields appear to be “fairly average,” but his quality is better than normal. Koompin said his corn is also progressing well ahead of schedule.
Dryland farmers in the Rockland and Arbon valleys of eastern Idaho benefited from “good rains in early spring” but had dry weather in June and July.
“We’re on the verge of cutting in the next few days,” Arbon Valley dryland farmer Ken Campbell said July 25. “It’s been dry, but the wheat looks pretty good. The heads I looked at are pretty well filled out.”
Soda Springs dryland farmer Sid Cellan said officials with his local grain elevator are optimistic about good protein levels in fall wheat, and “fall wheat looks like it’s pretty well made. It’ll be a pretty good quality.”
Though wheat prices haven’t been strong in several months, Jacobson said he’s seen positive signs in the wheat market. On the afternoon of July 25, he said wheat prices spiked 28 cents, partly in response to a stimulus package the Trump administraiton announced for farmers. He also believes the market “had not been fully recognizing some of the production problems throughout the world.”
Jacobson has also been encouraged by strong prices for hard white wheat.
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