Weather imperils Nebraska winter wheat, board says
Cold air, lack of snow and high winds imperil Nebraska's winter wheat, board says
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- The lack of snow cover and high winds have imperiled much of Nebraska's winter wheat crop.
The Nebraska Wheat Board said in a report Wednesday that wind erosion in 30 to 40 percent of the northern Panhandle has exposed plant crowns, subjecting them to possible winter kill.
The board says the crop looks fair in the southern Panhandle and that wind erosion is moderately severe.
The southwest corner has had little moisture since fall. The board says that without snowmelt or rain, farmers expect 25 to 35 percent winter kill in the area.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers planted 1.5 million Nebraska acres of wheat for harvest this year.
