Eye on Ag - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Eye on Ag

For two years North Central North Dakota was swamped when it came to cropland.
Very little in fact was planted in 2011 because of all the rain and moisture.

Now, finally, redemption is at hand and it's filling hoppers faster than anyone has ever seen.

(Mike Rice, Renville County Farmer)  "Things are looking really goo here.  I've never seen winter wheat like this before."

Just how good?
How about bouncing between 85 and 120 bushels an acre - numbers typically only ever seen on irrigated cropland for winter wheat.
Mike Rice, who farms in Renville County said it's not often this area gets a near perfect set-up and follow through for a growing season.

(Mike Rice, Renville County Farmer) "We had a lot of subsoil moisture going into this year and I think that's what helped us a long right now.  We haven't received much rain in the month of July so it's able to give the crops the extra boost.  We just had a cool summer for the beginning and I think that really helped put less stress on the crop, especially the winter wheat, and the barley's and the durums."

What could be a record crop is coming at a time when much of the midwest is burning up in a drought, taking a very heavy toll on crops there.

(Mike Rice, Renville County Farmer) "Markets are on the upside things because of the big drought in the midwest and the corn burning up and the soybeans kind of not looking so good."

Mike says the last few days the markets have slumped with news a good winter wheat crop in the Dakota's but he figures with such a big gap in the midwest harvest, the markets are sure to rebound and be back even stronger.

In the meantime it's just focusing on the job at hand.

(Mike Rice, Renville County Farmer) "It feels good to be on our own stuff and seeing this nice wheat getting into the bin."

In Renville County with Your Eye On Agriculture, Shaun Sipma KX News.