North Dakota Wheat Farmers Battle Heat Stress Amid Price Surge

Wheat farmers in North Dakota are facing heat stress as crop prices surge to a three-year high, just as harvest season approaches. The region's hard red winter wheat yields have been pegged well below last year's forecast after a May tour of Kansas fields. Grower Jim Pellman expressed surprise that his wheat is holding up despite the scorching temperatures.

The recent heat wave has stressed North Dakota's wheat crops, with some areas experiencing too much rain and others too little. Variable weather conditions have made it challenging for farmers to predict yields. Crop scouts surveyed fields across the state during the Wheat Quality Council's annual spring and durum wheat crop tour.

North Dakota's spring wheat yield is estimated at 48 bushels per acre, below the USDA's latest outlook of 58 bushels per acre. The turmoil between Russia and Ukraine has renewed concerns about grain flows in the Black Sea region, which could impact American supply and contribute to a decline in world supplies.

Farmers like Glendon Slaubaugh are keeping an eye on the situation, as higher prices could result from reduced exports. However, it's the weather that remains foremost in growers' minds, with temperatures expected to reach 100 degrees over the weekend.