This season’s brutal cold brought concerns of winter wheat kill in the fragile crop.
One Kansas State University Extension Specialist says that air temperatures dropped to extreme lows, but soil temperatures did not.
Romulo Lollato said that snow in North Kansas went a long way, protecting emerging wheat from that winter cold. However, other parts of the state were not as lucky.
Combined with this year’s late emergence, nearly 25% of the crop is a cause for concern. While 25% of Kansas wheat crop is considered vulnerable to winter kill, it is not widespread.
Lollato says that he is confident the other 75% will make it.
Related Stories
Strong export demand supports barge markets, but weather risks remain.
A stalled World Trade Organization appeals body increases long-term trade policy risk for U.S. agriculture.
Reliable canal infrastructure supports long-term access to global agricultural markets.
Corn export pace remains the bright spot, but stable ethanol export demand remains a critical support for corn markets.
Rail consolidation could affect grain basis, freight rates, and service reliability across major producing regions.
For communities that depend on agriculture as their primary economic engine, the recession is not defined by headlines on Wall Street. It is defined by the quiet disappearance of the businesses that once processed, serviced, and supported the crop.