THE 1975 SPRING WHEAT CROP The Statistical Reporting Service USDA, reported (January, 1976): SPRING WHEAT OTHER THAN DURUM Acres (1000) Yield (Bu/A) Bushels (1000) ----------------- ---------------- ------------------- State 1973 1974 1975 1973 1974 1975 1973 1974 1975 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No. Dak. 6,170 6,660 6,130 27.5 20.5 25.5 169,675 136,530 156,315 So. Dak. 1,570 1,990 2,000 23.0 15.0 18.0 36,110 29,850 36,000 Minnesota 1,920 2,670 2,700 39.0 29.0 31.0 74,880 77,430 83,700 Montana 1,790 1,940 1,600 21.0 19.0 25.5 37,590 36,860 40,800 U.S.A. 12,511 14,471 13,442 28.3 22.4 26.7 353,968 324,798 359,412 COMMENTS ON GROWING CONDITIONS Some cooperators furnished brief descriptions of growing conditions and they are summarized here to aid in data interpretation. MINNESOTA - Planting was delayed 2-3 weeks due to a cool, wet spring. It was dry and hot during May and July at Morris and Crookston. June was cool and wet at Morris and near normal at Crookston. The growing conditions were dry and hot during July and wet during June at St. Paul. The unfavorable conditions caused reduced yields over the three locations. An epidemic of bacterial leaf blight was detected during the 1975 season. NORTH DAKOTA - (Carrington) Planting was delayed approximately 3 weeks due to a cool, wet spring. June was wet (8.3 inches of rain). Conversely, July and August were very dry, less than 2 inches of rain during the two month period. Irrigation was applied on July 15 and July 30. June was a cool month, but mid-July was very warm. Cooler temperatures prevailed from the end of July through the remainder of the growing season. (Dickinson) Precipitation was above average from March through June. Drought and high temperatures during July and August reduced yields. The hot, dry weather in July and August was effective in reducing the severity of foliar disease. (Williston) Excess rainfall in April delayed planting. Precipitation in June was above normal with temperatures slightly cooler than normal. Hot, dry weather prevailed in July. MONTANA - (Bozeman) The spring of 1975 was cool and wet through May. Very little spring seeding was completed in May, leaving most cereal crops for June planting, nearly one month later than normal. Fortunately, the weather in July and August was mild and moist, and September turned out to be a very good harvest month. Leaf spotting diseases caused by bacteria, septoria, etc., were more prevalent in 1975 than in previous years, a result of the wet, cool weather. WISCONSIN - Planting was delayed 2-3 weeks. Moisture conditions were ideal, but temperatures were unusually high throughout the growing season. A bad rain and wind storm on July 3 caused severe lodging. Overall, the reduced yields were caused by the unusually high temperatures and lodging. CONCLUSION SPRING WHEAT OTHER THAN DURUM: Production of spring wheat other than durum in 1975 totaled 359 million bushels, 11 percent above the weather plagued 1974 crop and 2 percent above the 1973 crop. The increase in production over a year earlier is the result of higher yields on fewer acres harvested. Acreage harvested in 1975 is estimated at 13.4 million, 7 percent below the previous year but 7 percent above the 1973 acreage. Planted acres for 1975 totaled 14.1 million, off 5 percent from the previous year. In North Dakota, the leading State, planted acres were down 5 percent and harvested acres were off 8 percent. Seeding of spring wheat got off to a slow start as cool damp weather delayed progress. Conditions improved in late May and by early June the crop was seeded. By July 1, development was behind normal in the major producing States as cool damp weather during June slowed growth. Only 7 percent of the crop in North Dakota was in the heading to flowering stage on July 1, well behind the normal 22 percent. The wet June weather was followed by a month of hot, dry weather in the Dakotas and Minnesota causing stress on the crop. July conditions in Montana, however, were favorable. Torrential rains during late June caused severe flooding in the southern part of the Red River Valley in North Dakota and Minnesota. As a result large acreages of spring wheat in the affected areas were completely lost or damaged. Spring wheat harvest was well behind normal as of September 1 as a result of wet, cool weather. However, harvest made good progress during September and was virtually complete by October 1 in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Montana experienced some harvest delays because of continued wet weather and was 85 percent complete.