2008 Northern Durum impacted by drought and harvest rains

The 2008 durum crop produced in Montana and North Dakota is about 4 percent smaller than 2007 due to moderate to severe drought conditions across the heart of the production region in northwest North Dakota and northeast Montana which offset higher planted acres. Initial harvest quality was quite high on the first two-thirds of the harvest with very low levels of damage, an average test weight that was above 2007 and high protein levels. The average grade for the crop is a No. 1 Hard Amber Durum based on the more than 200 samples collected from producers at harvest, although the crop shows a lower overall grade distribution compared to 2007. An extended period of rain during the last third of the harvest reduced vitreous kernel counts and falling numbers in key production areas which contributed to the lower grade distribution.

Milling tests on the crop show lower total and semolina extractions but significantly lower ash levels. Pasta processing and cooking quality tests reveal improved cooked firmness and reduced cooking loss compared to 2007. Color scores and mixing properties are slightly below the five-year average.

Funding for the collection and lab analysis of the annual harvest survey is provided by wheat check-off programs in the four-state region. Collection of the samples was conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service and lab analysis was performed at the Wheat and Durum Quality labs at North Dakota State University. Results are used by U.S. Wheat Associates in their Crop Quality seminars with numerous customers worldwide to help them adjust to year to year changes in crop performance and better understand the comparative quality advantages in the U.S. crop each year.