When looking at the national winter wheat crop, USDA Meteorologist, Brad Rippey said the extreme cold weather last month had an impact.

"In terms of what happened during the month of February, a little bit of a mixed bag because some areas did get snow that provided great insulation and moisture from that bitterly cold weather. So wheat happily dormant beneath that snow cover, unaware of this bitter cold."

However, other places were not so lucky.

"There have been some areas where the snow cover has been either non-existent or patchy and shallow. And wheat may have taken a hit due to winter kill and/or drought or a combination of both in those areas."

He said winter wheat condition in major production states ranges from 11% very poor to poor in Montana, to 31% very poor to poor in Texas where 22% of the winter wheat crop had already headed before the deep freeze.   

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