Harvest Numbers Show Lower Than Normal Protein Counts

The Montana Wheat and Barley Committee reports that they’ve been out with producers and have returned with harvest numbers.

Yields are being reported as anywhere from 40 to 85 bushels per acre, with some anomalies getting up to 120 bushels per acre. That said, while the yields have been high, protein counts have been averaging lower than normal, between half a point to a full point lower than Montana’s typical 11.8 average.

These protein deficiencies can mean some losses on sale when bringing crop into town, some facing as much as 45-cent discounts or even larger.

The reason for these lower proteins has thus far been attributed to late frosts in June, as grasshopper and wheat stem sawfly numbers are down in the central regions of Montana.

Eastern Montana harvesters continue to suffer losses from grasshopper infestations