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Recent rains boost South Dakota winter wheat outlook

A farmer in south-central South Dakota says the recent rains are bringing positive attitudes and much-needed moisture for the recently planted winter wheat.

“Now that we have some moisture in the soil profile, it should pop up out of the ground,” says Bryan Jorgensen.

He says there’s been nice, slow rains since Thursday, and it’s been a long time coming, given the dry conditions.

“It’s the first time we’ve had this scenario since 2022,” he says.

Jorgensen says winter wheat planting started in early September, which is earlier than usual. Winter wheat acres have doubled on his farm this year, with half of them considered forage wheat that will be grazed in the fall or spring.

“We’re trying to get more cattle on the crop ground,” he explains. “We’re growing our cow herd and we’re just not trying not to put that much pressure on our native system. We’re reducing corn acres and increasing wheat acres, which is counterintuative to what others are doing.”

He says grazing wheat is common in the southern wheat belt, but not in South Dakota.

Jorgensen also sells wheat seed, and says there’s been an increase in demand due to recent price increases, stronger insurance values, and the importance of having wheat in rotation.

The USDA says 36 percent of South Dakota’s winter wheat has been planted, in-line with the average, with two percent of the crop starting to emerge. Corn harvest is seven percent complete, and soybean harvest at five percent complete in South Dakota, both ahead of average.