Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, is talking with Mark Hodges, the Executive Director of Oklahoma Genetics Inc., about this year’s winter wheat crop and harvest.
“There is some good wheat out there in areas,” Hodges said. “It is really a mosaic pattern because it doesn’t necessarily relate to grazed and ungrazed, not that there was much to graze to start with.”
Unfortunately, Hodges said, when it did start to rain, in many places, it only brought on weeds because of the time period. As quality data starts to come out, Hodges said there has been some great quality, but this crop has been very diverse in its range because of weather conditions.
With Oklahoma’s outstanding genetics and wheat breeding team led by Dr. Carver at Oklahoma State University, Hodges said even in tough times, Oklahoma’s winter wheat crop pushes the limits.
“Oklahoma has got the best wheat breeder in the world and the best breeding team in the world,” Hodges said.
Regarding OGI wheat that will be sold and planted this next year, Hodges said one of the challenges is finding where the seed is available and how to get it to areas that do not have it.
“Until we get a better handle on what is available and not available, that is really the challenge right now, and being able to move seed,” Hodges said.
Hodges added that he is feeling better about the availability of seed now that some rains have come in, as a few months ago, that was not the case.
“We would have been extremely challenged on seed supply,” Hodges said. “I am not saying it is going to be a normal year by any stretch of imagination, but I do feel better than I did three months ago about it.”
The wheat variety Hodges said he has heard is in demand the most lately is High Cotton, which is in limited supply.
“Dr. Carver is trying to distribute that in the state as best he can and address those who do want it and have the ability to produce it,” Hodges said.
