By Carolyn Cole/Staff Writer

Canadian County wheat farmers are seeing their worst fears realized as they harvest their grain.

Three weeks ago, Brad Tipton, Canadian County Extension educator, said farmers had high hopes for a golden year with 50 to 60 bushels per acre yields. Then drowning rains barred combines from the fields and damaged the crop. The wheat berries absorb water, and while as they dry out they shrink, but never down to their initial density.

Coupled with an Easter weekend frost, disease and insects, he said he expects field yield to be average at best, 32 bushels per acre — if farmers are lucky. He said he’s heard of yields ranging from 15 bushels per acre to 40 bushels per acre.

“Guys say they are cutting 60 or 70 bushel-type straw through the machines, but getting 30 or 40 bushels of wheat,” he said.

On the flip side, wheat prices soared 30 cents Monday to top $5 per bushel, which Banner Co-op worker Betty Weach called a first for harvest time. It’s basic supply-demand economics, she said, low expected wheat yields are driving prices.

As prices climbed, area farmers were anxious to harvest fields, but Sunday rains and high humidity kept moisture level above the 12 percent desired at grain elevators. If wheat is too damp, it will mold in storage. So farmers waited most of Monday, and Tipton said they are worried about weather forecasts calling for rain chances later this week.

Further rains will damage the crop, decreasing grain densities. A bushel of wheat is expected to weigh 60 pounds; if it weighs less, farmers receive less money for their crop. If the weight falls below 50 pounds per bushel, it’s considered feed wheat for animal consumption. At that point the value falls down to about $1.70 per 100 pounds of wheat, said Banner Co-op manager Jerry Kammerer. So far he said weights that low haven’t come into his grain elevator this season.

Wheat sprouting is another problem that hurts the quality of a crop, Tipton said, and also destines it for the feed lot. So far, he said, there is no indication of sprouting in Canadian County but farmers in south Oklahoma have reported problems.

“It has not been a pleasant harvest at all for the farmers or the county agents,” he said.

Kammerer said he expects farmers will struggle to break even considering they have already spent $100 per acre just to farm the crop. Fertilizer and rising fuel prices have eaten a hole in their bottom line, he said, and that’s not considering costs for starting next year’s crop.

“The ag(riculture) end of it will be a long road to hoe this year.”
Weach estimated it will take at least another week for farmers to finish harvesting grain, if rains hold off.

“This year, anything that could go wrong with wheat has gone wrong with wheat,” she said.