The 2018 HRW wheat harvest continues in full swing in Montana, Washington, Idaho and Oregon. Weather conditions over the last week have been favorable for considerable progress in those states. Additionally, Montana is reporting very good yields, very good test weight and very good protein from wheat being cut in the central and northern parts of the state. Washington, Oregon and Idaho are also reporting a very good crop with high test weights, however in early testing, protein generally ranging from 11% to 11.5%.
The first 11 samples from Montana and grading data from the first 17 samples from the Pacific Northwest arrived in the lab this week. There is only a slight change in overall testing averages this week with moisture decreasing by 0.1 percent to 11.3% as compared to 11.4% last week and as compared to the final average last year of 10.6%. Protein decreased slightly this week from 12.6% to 12.5%, but is still over a full percentage point higher than last year’s 11.4%. Test weight also increased slightly this week from 60.6 lb/bu (79.7 kg/hl) to 60.7 lb/bu (79.8 kg/hl) and is comparable to last year’s final average of 60.8 lb/bu (80.0 kg/hl). Falling number decreased slightly this week to 375 seconds from 379 seconds last week, but still is consistent with sound wheat.
As was mentioned last week, there is a lag of HRW harvest progress between the Great Plains (finishing ahead of the 5-year average), while in Montana and the Pacific Northwest harvest is (generally) behind the 5-year average (but the gap is narrowing). Consequently, there are only 28 new samples (currently 406 of an expected 500 samples) in the lab this week. Mill/dough/bake data in next week’s report.
| Tst | Exp | MST | Pro% | DKG | TKW | FN | Grade | Test | Weight | FM | DMG | S&B | DEF |
| 406 | 500 | 11.3 | 12.5 | 0.5 | 375* | 1HRW | 60.7 | 79.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.5 | |
| FINAL | 2017 | ||||||||||||
| 488 | Final | 10.6 | 11.4 | 0.6 | 31.8 | 367 | 1HRW | 60.8 | 80.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
*Partial
Click the following link to download a PDF copy of the PGI HRW Harvest Summary August 10 2018