Agriculture Experts Optimistic About Wheat Harvest

CARRIER, Okla. (AP) -- A late-season freeze combined with disease and insects appear to be impacting this year's wheat harvest, but officials say average yields across the state will far exceed those

Sunday, June 10th 2007, 6:32 pm

By: News On 6

CARRIER, Okla. (AP) -- A late-season freeze combined with disease and insects appear to be impacting this year's wheat harvest, but officials say average yields across the state will far exceed those from a year ago.

Lee Redman, the manager for the Carrier Mill and Elevator in western Garfield County, says he can tell the wheat kernel quality is improving each day just by looking at it.

Redman and other elevator employees were busy this weekend as tractor-trailers lined up to get weighed, dump their grain off and get weighed again.

Test weights earlier in the week from Redman's and other area elevators came in at the mid-50s range. A grade Number One weight according to the United States Department of Agriculture must come in at 60 pounds per bushel.

During the drought stricken 2006 harvest, the state averaged 24 bushels an acre.

USDA's May estimate predicted average yields across the state will be 35 bushels an acre.