Market Matters Blog
Pat Hill DTN Markets Editor

Tuesday 07/27/10
Spring Wheat Tour Under Way

Scouts are descending into spring wheat fields this week, and DTN Staff Reporter Susanne Stahl is among the 50 millers, marketers and farmers donning boots and bug spray to assess the crop.

Tour estimates have been on both sides of final spring wheat yields in the last 4 years. [DTN graphic, USDA/tour data]

In her initial report from the tour, Stahl said Monday evening good yields are expected, with little disease and pest pressure but a wide variety in crop maturity.

As with the hard red winter wheat crop earlier this summer, the buzzword may be protein, one of the tour organizers told her.

It's interesting to note the track record of the tour results compared to USDA's August 1 and final estimates. As this chart shows, tour estimates have been above the August NASS number the last two years, while the final yield estimate was higher than the NASS estimate both those years.

DTN subscribers can find daily reports from Susanne Stahl on the 2010 Hard Spring Wheat and Durum Tour, in DTN Ag News.

2006 2007 2008 2009
Tour - Aug 1 31.7 37.3 37.7 46.2
NASS Aug 1 32.7 39.3 36.8 38.3
NASS Final 32.2 36.2 39.9 44.5

Posted at 9:14AM CDT 07/27/10 by Pat Hill
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