Drought devastates winter wheat crop

Grady farmer Steve Bailey said he hasn't harvested a winter wheat crop since 2010, and he won't be harvesting it this June either. According to a USDA Crop and Weather Report published Monday, Clovis has had 1.35 inches of precipitation in 2013. Normal accumulation during the same period is 2.85 inches. Combined that with back-to-back of half the normal precipitation in 2011 and 2012, and the lack of moisture has been devastating to Curry County's top cash crop — especially for dryland farmers. According to the USDA Crop Production Summary, 2010 was the last good year for growing winter wheat. Of the 470,000 acres of winter wheat planted the previous fall, 290,000 were harvested in 2010. The report shows a significant drop in the amount of winter wheat harvested in 2011 with 435,000 acres planted, and 95,000 acres harvested. In 2012, 450,000 acres were planted with 90,000 acres being harvested. Bailey said on an average year he'll get between 15 and 20 bushels per acre. He will be lucky to get 4.5 bushels per acre this year...more