Missouri’s Winter Wheat Begins Heading

Missouri’s projected larger winter wheat crop is beginning to head.  The first USDA Crop Progress Report of the 2022 growing season indicates one percent of the state’s crop has reached the heading stage.  That’s ahead of the five-year average as well as last year’s pace.  58 percent of the crop is rated good to excellent, four points better than this point a year ago, while three percent is considered poor.

While winter wheat has left the starting gate, corn and rice planting has yet to begin.  The five-year average for both is one percent after the first weekend of April.  Above normal precipitation averaging 1.5 inches and temperatures averaging over four degrees below normal stymied potential planting, resulting in just under two days being suitable for fieldwork.   A fourth of topsoil and 14 percent of subsoil now has a surplus of moisture, compared to four percent of topsoil and 12 percent of subsoil lacking adequate moisture.

The first pasture rankings of 2022 have Missouri’s fields in a weaker position than last year.  44 percent of pastures are rated good to excellent against six percent poor.  A year ago, 60 percent of fields were in good or excellent shape.