Thread: Oklahoma harvest 70% below normal

The Oklahoman

Grain elevators in southwest and central Oklahoma are hoping to take in 20 to 30 percent of the amount of grain they would in a normal year, Schulte said.

(AP:OKLAHOMA CITY) Oklahoma agriculture officials are calling the state's wheat harvest is dismal and "disheartening" with about 70 percent of the crop now harvested.

The state Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry has maintained its forecast of 74.8 million bushels for 2011, 38 percent lower than 2010's yield of 121 million bushes. The average yield is expected to be 22 bushels per acre for this year's crop, down from 31 bushels per acre last year.

"Overall, when you look at the entire state, it looks to be pretty disheartening," Mike Schulte, executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission told The Oklahoman.

Wheat farmer Jimmie Musick of Sentinel said he didn't expect any of his crop to survive this year's drought, so the ability to harvest even a small amount was a relief.

"It was really a challenge to raise a crop when you just didn't have any rain from the time you sowed it to the time you harvested it," Musick said.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report rated the drought in the western half of the state from severe to exceptional.

Drought wasn't the only obstacle wheat farmers dealt with this year. Hail and tornadoes also severely affected some crop's yield potentials, especially in central Oklahoma.

Schulte said 35,000 to 40,000 acres of wheat in Kingfisher and Canadian counties were damaged by hail and tornadoes last month. "A lot of those acres will just go into abandonment and never be harvested," he said.

Grain elevators in southwest and central Oklahoma are hoping to take in 20 to 30 percent of the amount of grain they would in a normal year, Schulte said.

Farmers such as Musick are still hopeful, and still praying for rain for the sake of summer crops.

"Farmers are traditionally optimistic," Musick said. "You have to depend on the Lord, whether you want to or not."

Source: http://news.ino.com/headlines/?newsid=689788062680

Another reason to build that Aquaduct from the Ole Miss to the west coast!

Water Water Water everywhere yet not a drop to spare?

Build my friggin Aquaduct to CA!

Originally Posted by dregerk

Another reason to build that Aquaduct from the Ole Miss to the west coast!


Build my friggin Aquaduct to CA!

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Think about the generations of illegal aliens from Mexico that would support.

Should take care of 'em for another 200 years.

I thought they had chosen to "irrigate" the area after the "dust bowl" effect of the great depression in the 1930's. I guess Oklahoma chose to stay ancient.