Normally, wheat harvest begins in late May around Memorial Day, but this year, farmers are already in the middle of cutting fields in central Oklahoma fields.
The early harvest is the result of a warm winter, which meant crop maturity was ahead of schedule, and also poor.
It comes amid high costs, rising fuel prices, due to the War in Iran, and a drought the state can't shake. It's also on the heels of last year's bumper wheat crop in Oklahoma and across the globe.
This year, farmers began to cut fields on May 8 in central Oklahoma. Mike Schulte, the Oklahoma Wheat Commission's executive director, said harvest season usually doesn't start until closer to Memorial Day in the southwestern part of the state before making its way east.
"There have been years we have had earlier harvests because of drought, but nothing like this," Schulte said.
The wheat crop has been under stress because of widespread drought, prompting some producers to abandon it.
He said the Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association estimated a total crop of about 48 million bushels statewide a few weeks ago. That number is the lowest number since 2014.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture had a higher projection of 64 million bushels from a couple of weeks ago, he said.
"I'm hoping we're somewhere in the middle of that but I do think we're probably more on the edge of being closer to the 48 to 50 million bushel mark," Schulte said. "So, certainly going to have an economic impact on the state that is not going to be as positive as what we have had as from other years."
But there is a bright spot in north-central Oklahoma. He said those fields do look better.
"I think we'll have some of those instances where the producer did just get the rain at the right time, and they were a management-intensive producer," Schulte said. "They may have a 50-bushel yield out there, but those instances are going to be few and far between."
Although much of the state did get the mid-May rains, it delayed producers from getting into the field to cut the crop.
There is a whole science and methodology behind what wheat variety to plant, when to plant it and how to raise it.
Schulte said producers who planted wheat in the ground later are faring better, and certain management practices like no-till farming — the practice of growing a crop without disturbing the soil — helped retain moisture. He said some producers decided to run cattle on fields for grazing because of the stressed crop.
Looking ahead, he said farmers are weighing their options due to higher fuel and fertilizer costs. About 19% of the state and the rest of the southern region pre-booked fertilizer, according to an American Farm Bureau survey.
Schulte said the wheat prices have increased, but it's not outweighing the input costs. There are also crop insurance programs providing help.
"But we're just at a whole new ball game for input costs," Schulte said.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
