North Dakota Wheat Commission Weekly Wheat Update for September 19, 2023

Harvest of the U.S. spring wheat crop is nearing completion

PUBLISHED ON September 19, 2023

MANDAN, N.D. — Harvest of the U.S. spring wheat crop is nearing completion. As of September 17, the USDA Crop Progress report indicated 93% of the U.S. crop had been harvested, right on with the five-year average.  Harvest is complete or nearly complete in South Dakota and Minnesota.  Portions of North Dakota and Montana still have crop left unharvested, but most should be finished in the next week.

As the weekly updates have indicated, harvest results are quite variable, but in general, “better than expected” yields were seen in many areas.  Overall protein appears to be lower than normal and vitreous kernel counts are also lower than recent years.  The crop grades a No. 1 so far with good test weights, low damage and high falling number values.

Harvest of the North Dakota durum crop is approximately 83% complete.  Shorter harvest days have slowed progress on the last portion of the crop.  Crop quality data indicates lower vitreous kernel counts in areas, but overall protein is good, as well as test weights and falling number values.  The crop analyzed so far grades a No. 1 Hard Amber Durum, but the vitreous kernel content is on the low end for that subclass at 79%.  This data represents less than half of the expected samples and will change as quality analysis progresses.

Please reference the U.S. Wheat Associates harvest reports for the most up to date crop quality information – https://www.uswheat.org/crop-quality/harvest-reports/.

— ND Wheat Commission