June 17, 2025

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The U.S. hard red spring wheat crop on a national basis made another slight improvement in overall condition this past week, improving to 57 percent good to excellent, up from 53 percent.  This is still below a year ago when 76 percent was rated good to excellent.  Moderate temperatures have been beneficial for the crop during this stage of development, and recent rains have also been welcomed.  Conditions and crop prospects vary greatly across the region however, with Montana and some western areas showing poorer crop ratings due to extended periods of soil moisture deficits and somewhat hotter temperatures.

Minnesota continues to show the highest crop ratings at nearly 90 percent good to excellent.  North Dakota and South Dakota are in the 65-70 percent ranges.  Montana slipped to just 16 percent rated good to excellent and nearly 30 percent poor to very poor.  Montana spring wheat areas did receive better precipitation levels over the past week, which should help stabilize crop ratings and hopefully improve ratings if temperatures remain moderate.

Crop development remains near normal with nearly 90 percent of the crop emerged and 4 percent headed.  The crop is fully emerged in Minnesota and South Dakota, with 26 percent of the South Dakota crop headed.  In North Dakota more than 90 percent of the crop is emerged and 1 percent headed.  Due to the drier soil conditions, just 70 percent of the Montana crop has emerged.   In the wetter parts of the region, disease pressures remain low.  Producers are busy applying herbicides for weed management and will be monitoring disease pressures as more of the crop moves into the heading stage over the next few weeks.

The durum crop in the northern U.S. continues to develop at a near normal pace in more central and eastern parts of the main durum growing areas of Montana and North Dakota, with overly dry soils hampering progress in western areas.  In North Dakota, nearly 90 percent of the crop has emerged.  In Montana, emergence continues to fall behind normal with just 54 percent emerged as of mid-June.  Crop ratings in North Dakota show 68 percent of the emerged crop as good to excellent, with just 46 percent of the Montana crop rated good to excellent.  While parts of the durum growing areas received beneficial precipitation this past week, additional rainfall will be needed as temperatures warm.