Peruvian Wheat Buyers Get First Hand Look at Idaho Wheat Industry

Executives directly involved in making wheat purchasing decisions for five flour milling and wheat food companies in Peru were in Idaho June 21 to 23. The team visited General Mills and Pendleton Flour Mills in Blackfoot. They also toured the U.I. Research Center in Aberdeen to learn about Idaho wheat varieties and their end use functionality.

Peru produces only a small amount of wheat and has imported an average of about 55.6 million bushels, or about 1.5 million metric tons, annually for the past five years. U.S. commercial sales to Peru have increased during each of the past three marketing years (June – May) and have grown from 20.8 million bushels in 2009/10 to about 36.8 million bushels in 2010/11.

The U.S. Wheat Associates is targeting Peru's artisan bread market, which has the highest level of consumption and more potential impact on U.S. wheat sales to Peru as a replacement mainly for Canadian spring wheat imports.

Idaho Winter Wheat Production Up 7 Percent

Idaho's 2011 winter wheat production is forecast at 62.4 million bushels, unchanged from last month’s forecast, and 7 percent above last year's crop. This report is based on conditions as of June 1. The yield is forecasted to be 79 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month. Acres to be harvested, at 790,000, represent an 80,000 acre increase from 2010.

Temperatures across the state last week ranged from two to eight degrees below normal. All weather stations reported precipitation for the week. Idaho's winter wheat condition is rated 3% very poor; 8% poor; 12% fair, 63% good and 14% excellent. Spring wheat is rated 1% very poor, 3% poor; 20% fair; 66% good and 14% excellent.

Nationally, winter wheat production is forecast at 1.45 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the May 1 forecast but 2 percent below 2010. Expected area for harvest as grain or seed totals 32.0 million acres, unchanged from May 1. Based on June 1 conditions, the United States yield is forecast at 45.3 bushels per acre, up 0.8 bushel from last month but 1.5 bushels less than last year. Hard Red production is up 2 percent from a month ago to 777 million bushels. Soft Red production is up 2 percent from last month and now totals 434 million bushels. White production totals 240 million bushels, up 2 percent from last month. Of the White production total, 11.6 million bushels are Hard White and 228 million bushels are Soft White.

Idaho Wheat Commission Elects Officers, Sets Budget

The Idaho Wheat Commission met May 31 and June 1 in Post Falls, Idaho to finalize the budget for FY 2012 and to elect officers. Gordon Gallup, Ririe, was elected as chairman. Bill Flory, Culdesac, was elected to serve as vice chainman.

Gallup grows wheat, barley, and alfalfa over 3,000 acres and has operated the family farm since 1975. He has been using direct seed tillage since 1985 and was instrumental in organizing and facilitating the IWC Direct Seed Workshops held for the past several years in Idaho Falls.

Flory manages a fourth generation, diversified grain farm raising wheat, barley, bluegrass, canola, and grass/alfalfa hay. He is a graduate of the University of Idaho. Flory has had extensive involvement with the Idaho Grain Producers Association and National Wheat Growers Associations, having served as president of both organizations.

FY2012 Budget

The IWC approved a budget of $2,207,379 million dollars for fiscal year 2011-2012, which covers programs in export and domestic marketing, research and information and education.

The commission increased its research budget this year due to continued reductions in funds from state and federal governments. The IWC continues to focus research dollars on variety development, which helps growers achieve the maximum yield and minimum input costs. Other priorities include research on new pests and diseases.

High Country Still Packing Lots of Snow

Snow Surveyors from the Natural Resources Conservation Service recorded one of the deepest June 1 snowpacks ever measured in Idaho. This year's late season snows and slow snow melt provide more than enough water for users and create a potentially threatening runoff season, especially in the Upper Snake and Bear River basins.

"In an average year up to about two-thirds of the snowpack melts during April and May," said Ron Abramovich, Water Supply Specialist with Idaho NRCS. "More water in less time means the streamflow volumes will be much greater than normal."

Generally, streamflows were above average in May and the peaks on most rivers are still to come. Over 80 of 120 Snow Telemetry sites that automatically measure snowpack conditions around Idaho showed the June 1 snow water content levels at or near record highs.

"Hot temperatures or rain during this critical time period when the snow is receding and soils are saturated, will send a flush of water down many streams and generate big flows," Abramovich said. Streamflow forecasts reflect the unusually high June 1 snowpacks. The forecasts around the state range from a low of 120% of average in central Idaho to over 300% in the Bear River Basin.

For up-to-date information on specific areas, visit the NRCS web site: http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/.

The full June Water Supply Report is posted on the website. For current snowmelt and streamflow relationship analyses information, view the snowstream graphs and streamflow graphs at: http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/watersupply/peakflow.html.

Idaho Winter Wheat Production Up 7 Percent from Last Year

Idaho's 2011 winter wheat production is forecast at 62.4 million bushels, unchanged from last month’s forecast, and 7 percent above last year's crop, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. This report is based on conditions as of June 1. The yield is forecasted to be 79 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month. Acres to be harvested, at 790,000, represent an 80,000 acre increase from 2010

Nationally, winter wheat production is forecast at 1.45 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the May 1 forecast but 2 percent below 2010. Expected area for harvest as grain or seed totals 32.0 million acres, unchanged from May 1. Based on June 1 conditions, the United States yield is forecast at 45.3 bushels per acre, up 0.8 bushel from last month but 1.5 bushels less than last year.

Hard Red production is up 2 percent from a month ago to 777 million bushels. Soft Red production is up 2 percent from last month and now totals 434 million bushels. White production totals 240 million bushels, up 2 percent from last month. Of the White production total, 11.6 million bushels are Hard White and 228 million bushels are Soft White.

Wheat Varieties with Herbicide Resistant Traits on the Increase

Each year an increasing number of growers are choosing to plant public and private wheat varieties with a herbicide-resistant trait added to the germplasm. One example is CLEARFIELD wheat cultivars.

The trait available in the CLEARFIELD varieties is not a GMO. CLEARFIELD wheat cultivars carry a gene for resistance to the herbicide Beyond. To protect the longevity of the technology, growers and seed dealers agree to specific licensing terms and requirements before having access to the seed.

It makes no difference if the trait is added to private varieties (such as AP700CL) or public varieties (such as UICF Brundage, ORCF 103) it is the trait that is protected. Locally developed germplasm serves as the carrier to make the technology available to growers in a wide variety of environments. The cost of having that technology available means agreeing to the stewardship plan which helps reduce the risk of selection of Beyond resistant weeds and gene flow to related weed species.

Low Global Wheat Supply Leads to Higher Food Prices

KTVB News Channel 7 featured Idaho wheat during its 10 p.m. newscast on Tuesday, June 7. Nishi Gupta reported that the price of wheat has gone up a dollar or two per bushel, but farmers aren't cashing in.

I've been farming 33 years, and I've never experienced this," said Meridian wheat farmer Drew Eggers.

The cooler weather has made Eggers wheat crop vulnerable to a disease called striped rust.

It turns leaves from green to yellow and red, preventing sunlight from getting to the plant and eventually stopping its growth.

Eggers planted 150 acres of wheat last fall. One percent of it is damaged from stripe rust. He'll spend several thousand dollars spraying it to protect the rest from disease."When the temperature is above 75 degrees you don't usually have stripe rust problems, but with this cool wet weather that we've had this spring," said Eggers. "It's become a problem in quite a few fields in southwestern Idaho."

While we've had wet weather, large wheat growing states like Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska are experiencing a drought. Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, has put a ban on wheat exports due to its own lack of wheat supply. China and Canada are also struggling to grow the crop. All of those situations are leading to an increase in what we pay at the store.

To view the entire story click on the link: http://www.ktvb.com/news/Low-global-wheat-supply-leads-to-higher-food-prices-123435209.html