Chicago wheat futures rebounded on Tuesday as the worst U.S. winter crop rating since 1989 put attention back on global supply already strained by the war in Ukraine. Corn rose for a second straight session as a slow start to U.S. planting and strong export demand underpinned prices.

Analysis of the wheat market since February has been underscored by volatility, and no less so for the U.S. soft white (SW) wheat market. The sudden exit of Ukraine from the export market and the uncertainty of Russia’s wheat exports are recent factors in market volatility. Dry weather is another important consideration for winter wheat markets. The most recent USDA crop progress report rated 27% of the entire U.S. winter wheat crop as good or excellent, a 3 point drop from last week and the lowest level since 1989 for this time of year. The report encompasses all winter wheat, including SW grown in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). And with summer fast approaching, it is a good time to look at the underlying factors for the 2022 U.S. SW crop.

USDA has designated nine Idaho counties primary natural disaster areas due to drought during the 2021 growing season. Crop and livestock producers in the counties had extreme or exceptional drought as tracked by the U.S. Drought Monitor, or at least eight consecutive weeks of severe drought.

The University of Idaho Extension will be hosting a forage field day in Aberdeen (May 19) and Rexburg (May 20).

Cuba has struggled for decades to feed its people, but because of U.S. sanctions and the impacts of the COVID pandemic, the country is becoming more desperate for help buying U.S. grain and meat.

A project involving 20 lines of wheat planted in six different countries will look to identify wheat traits that support a more sustainable use of land by improving soil microbial biodiversity, nitrogen cycling and soil structure.

U.S. - Cuba relations have been up and down like a roller coaster in the 11 years since the last U.S. wheat export shipment to Cuba.