Disease, rain hurt local barley, winter wheat

It's been a record year across Montana for barley and winter wheat, but the winter

wheat harvest in the Flathead has been far from productive for some farmers because of plant

disease.

It's been a record year across Montana for barley and winter wheat, but the winter wheat harvest in the Flathead has been far from productive for some farmers because of plant disease.

"Winter wheat statewide came in at 45 bushels per acre," said Peggy Stringer, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistic Service, Montana Field Office. "This is four bushels higher than last year. Our previous record was 42 [bushels] in 1993."

In the Flathead, the story was a little different.

"We were all over the board on our winter wheat - from total crop disaster to a very, very nice crop," said Mark Lalum, grain buyer at CHS-Kalispell.

Because of the heavier-than-typical June rains, some local crops were hard hit by stripe rust - a disease caused by excessive moisture.

"Some of the crops it hit really bad and destroyed the whole crop," Lalum said. "It depended on your location in the valley. In the northwest corner, they got maybe five to six inches, while out in Creston it was nine to 10 inches."

Doug Manning and his father grow about 1,400 acres of spring and winter wheat, and barley. Manning said that stripe rust had significantly cut the yield on his winter wheat. Prices have not been good, either, he said.

"Winter wheat's all done, and the price is down between 10 and 20 percent from last year. Barley and spring wheat have done better, but protein levels are down a little in the spring wheat from what we like."

CHS is the local co-op that provides farmers with fertilizers and pesticides and then helps them sell their grain - either by purchasing it or by assisting in the marketing of crops. The co-op is owned by more than 150 Flathead Valley farmers.

"Right now, prices are holding pretty good, being that it's harvest time," Lalum said. "We're looking at $3.30 a bushel for winter wheat, $1.75 a bushel for barley and between $3.70 and $3.80 for spring wheat.

Lalum said that prices are down compared to what they've been the past few years, but that they were within the typical range for harvest, when large amounts of grain hitting the market all at once force market prices down.

With 70 percent of the barley harvest in, the state is looking at record-setting yields for this crop as well. Stringer said she's expecting 60 bushels an acre, which is one bushel over the record of 59.

Joe Brenneman is a Flathead County commissioner and dairy farmer. He raises barley to feed his cows in his 200 acres in the Creston area.

"The crop looks fantastic this year," he said. "A bushel of barley should weigh 48 pounds, and ours is coming in right at that.

"We were going great on our harvest for a while, but then some rain slowed us down. I'm not sure it's all even ripe yet, but I hope to be done by the middle of September. I know we'll be done when we get the first heavy snow - completed or not."

Lalum called the local barley harvest "incredible," saying he's seen some fields get more than 100 bushels an acre.

Stringer said that the Montana spring wheat harvest, while good, wouldn't go into the record book this year.

"It was seeded in the spring and didn't get the late season moisture it needed," she said. "And right about the time it was heading out, it got hot and dry. The harvest is about 71-percent done now, which is ahead of normal. It ripened really quickly in the field."

Lalum said that though spring wheat yields were disappointing, some local fields are doing well. In part he attributed the success stories to planting of more varieties of wheat.

"The harvest is progressing well, and I just hope rain doesn't come upon us like it did last year," he said. "If it does come, it could ruin the crop."

Reporter George Kingson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at gkingson@dailyinterlake.com.