USDA’s latest national look at winter wheat suggests the crop is coming out of dormancy with more stress than growers saw this time last year. Reports indicate the share rated in the top categories is lower than a year ago, while a larger portion is sitting in poor shape. The headline driver nationally is dryness […]
Montana’s winter wheat picture this spring is shaping up as a tale of different neighborhoods. Reports from around the state suggest some fields are coming out of dormancy with decent stand and color, while others are thin, stressed, or simply waiting on a soaking rain that hasn’t arrived. The split isn’t surprising: moisture has been […]
Montana grain country is heading into spring with a familiar problem: winter wheat prices that can’t seem to settle down for long. Reports indicate the market is being tugged in multiple directions—weather risks, uncertainty around planted acres, and broader commodity and currency moves that can change the tone in a hurry. For Montana producers, that […]
Thursday’s midday-to-afternoon grain trade featured a notable push higher in soybeans, with corn and winter wheat also holding firm, according to market recaps and trader chatter from the broader commodity complex. Montana doesn’t grow many soybeans compared to the Midwest, but soybean moves still matter here because soymeal is a key protein ingredient in many […]
Montana’s spring moisture can boost winter wheat tillering, help spring wheat get established, and improve hay and pasture growth—but stacked storms and lingering leaf wetness can quickly raise rust risk. Here’s what to watch by region, how to scout, and how to think through fungicide timing and haying windows.
Across Montana, winter wheat is often the crop that bridges seasons—seeded into late-summer dust or fall moisture, then asked to survive wind, cold snaps, and spring swings that can go from blizzard to bare ground in a week. The payoff can be strong, but the margin is made (or lost) in small decisions: seed placement, […]
Across Montana’s Golden Triangle, Judith Basin, and the Hi-Line, winter wheat remains a cornerstone crop—often the one that helps spread workload, capture early moisture, and keep equipment moving when spring turns busy. But winter wheat is also a crop where small management decisions can stack up fast, for better or worse. A tough fall, open […]