WKBT La Crosse, WI-NewsChannel 8-Upper Midwest wheat of good quality
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Associated Press - October 27, 2009 6:54 AM ET
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota State University researchers have found much of this year's hard red spring wheat and durum crop in the Upper Midwest made top quality - a big improvement over last year.
The annual quality reports say 88 percent of the spring wheat in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana made No. the 1 grade compared with 75 percent last year.
Seventy percent of the durum crop in North Dakota and Montana was found to be top quality compared with 43 percent last year.
Officials cite favorable weather during the growing season that boosted yield. But the same cool weather hurt protein levels in spring wheat. That can lower the quality of bread products.
The annual quality reports typically do not directly affect prices either for farmers or consumers. But North Dakota Wheat Commission marketing specialist Erica Olson says the reports are used by wheat buyers around the world.
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