Winter Wheat Harvest Running Late in 7 Key States

More than half the U.S. winter wheat crop has been harvested, according to the most recent Crop Progress report. At 53% progress as of July 6, nationwide harvest was just shy of the five-year average of 54%.

Seven of the top 18 winter wheat-growing states were behind average harvest progress, according to the USDA. Here’s a closer look at winter wheat progress and conditions in those seven states. 

Oklahoma

Of all top winter wheat-growing states, Oklahoma was the furthest behind average harvest progress. By July 6, the Sooner state’s winter wheat harvest had reached 83%, which is 13 percentage points behind its five-year average. 

A year ago at this time, Oklahoma’s winter wheat harvest had already wrapped up.

The USDA rated just over half of Oklahoma’s wheat good/excellent. As for the rest — 35% was rated fair, and 13% was rated poor/very poor.

Texas

The Lone Star state had 83% winter wheat harvested as of July 6, an increase of only 3 percentage points for the week. With that, progress was behind the five-year average by 9 percentage points.

Less than one-third of Texas’s crop was in good/excellent shape. Overall, the USDA rated 31% of Texas’s winter wheat good/excellent, 42% fair, and 27% poor/very poor.

Ohio

In the Buckeye State, winter wheat harvest nearly reached the halfway point. By July 6, 48% of the crop had been harvested, a significant jump from only 14% the week prior. 

Still, progress was 4 percentage points shy of the five-year average and considerably behind progress a year ago — 82%.

Winter wheat in Ohio was rated 63% good/excellent, 34% fair, and only 3% poor. None was rated very poor.

South Dakota

Just 1% of South Dakota’s winter wheat had been harvested by July 6, the first reported of the season for the state. That’s behind the five-year average by 4 percentage points and behind progress a year ago by 7 percentage points.

The USDA rated 41% of South Dakota’s crop good/excellent, 41% fair, and 18% poor/very poor.

Indiana

The USDA reported 59% of Indiana’s winter wheat crop was harvested by July 6, jumping from 23% the week prior. Progress was just 3 points behind the 62% five-year average, but further behind progress a year ago, which was 81%.

Winter wheat in Indiana was rated 69% good/excellent, 25% fair, and 6% poor/very poor.

California

Sixty-five percent of California’s winter wheat had been harvested by July 6, the USDA said. With that, progress was behind the five-year average by 1 percentage point but actually ahead of progress a year ago — 58%.

California had the highest rated winter wheat by far. As of July 6, 95% of the crop was rated good/excellent by the USDA, with the rest in fair condition. 

To put that in perspective, across the 18 top winter wheat-growing states, the average good/excellent rating was 48% for the week ending July 6. 

Illinois

Finally, 87% of Illinois’ winter wheat had been harvested as of July 6, an increase of 18 percentage points since the week prior. The five-year average is 88%, and progress a year ago was 92%.

The USDA rated 67% of Illinois’ winter wheat good/excellent, 17% fair, and 16% poor/very poor.