Rainfall is almost always welcome in farm country, but it has slowed the start of wheat harvest across Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on June 29 that only 3 percent of the winter wheat crop had been harvested in the Rocky Mountain region, compared with 9 percent harvested at the same time in 2024. Roger Ott, regional director of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Colorado field office in Littleton, said cool, rainy weather had delayed the harvest this year.

On the up side, Ott said yield should be up slightly over last year with 37 bushels an acre predicted compared with a final yield of 35 bushels per acre a year ago.

A spot check of grain elevators shows the harvest slowly moving northward. Tucker Spitzer, grain merchandiser at Tempel Grain in Wiley, said most of the irrigated wheat is harvested but some dryland farmers were just getting started.

“A majority of the dryland wheat will be done this week, but the big guys will take longer,” Spitzer said.

Tempel splits low-protein from high-protein wheat at 12.5 percent. As of Tuesday, July 1, the Wiley elevator had taken in 20,000 bushels of high-protein and 70,000 of low protein.

Further north at Stratton Equity Co-op, grain originator Connie Deines said harvesters have been at it for nearly a week. It’s too early to tell what yields are, Deines said. Protein content has come in anywhere between 8 percent and 15 percent. Harvest is expected to take at least another two weeks in the Stratton-Bethune area.

Harvesters are just getting started in the Yuma area, according to Lisa Hageman, grain originator at CHS in Yuma.

“We were just getting a good start (Monday) with our first real big loads,” Hageman said. “I don’t have a handle on yield yet, but the few (producers) I’ve talked to have been really pleased; they’re getting better than what they expected.”

Protein content on the first loads was right at 12 percent, she said.

Up in Peetz, a spokeswoman for the Peetz Farmers Co-op said no harvesting has been done yet, but she expected it to start after Independence Day.

CWAC REPORT

The Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee released its weekly report at noon Wednesday. The report covered Baca, Prowers, Cheyenne and Kiowa counties.

Harvest has been in full swing for about 10 days in Baca County. Rain showers have delayed some progress. Yields range from 25 to 50 bushels per acre. Average test weights are holding at around 60 pounds per bushel, with protein ranging 8-13 percent.

According to the CWAC report, harvest activity in Prowers County picked up around June 25. The average test weight is 61 pounds per bushel, with average protein around 9.5 percent.

In Cheyenne County CWAC reported harvest estimated to be about 15 percent complete. Yields range from 40 to 60 bushels per acre. The average test weight is 60 pounds per bushel, with protein ranging 8-10 percent.

Activity started in Kiowa County around June 27. Yields range from 25 to 55 bushels per acre. The average test weight is 61 pounds per bushel, and average protein is around 11 percent.

Over in Nebraska, Tuesday was the fourth day of harvest in the Benkelman area. Ashley Brewer, supervisor of the Frenchman Valley Co-op, said her elevator had taken in 20,000 bushels since Friday, June 27, with one producer reporting between 40 and 60 bushels per acre. Early protein measurements show between 10 percent and 14 percent protein.

Brewer said harvest in her area will last “probably another two weeks, as long as rain stays away.”

Producers in the panhandle are still waiting for their crops to fully ripen. Taylor Hart, grain originator for the Frenchman Valley location in Kimball, Neb., said most of his customers are still two to three weeks away, though one farmer thought he might try this coming weekend, after Independence Day.