FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The Fort Worth Grain Exchange indicated it received its initial new crop wheat samples of the season on May 21. Twelve rail cars were received and sampled. They averaged 62.2 lbs per bu in test weight with a high of 63.4 lbs and a low of 62.2 lbs. The protein average of the 12 cars was 13% with a high of 14.1% protein and a low of 11.4%. Moisture ranged from 9.9% to 13.5% and averaged 11.3%. Dockage in the samples ranged from 0.3% to 1.4% and averaged 0.6%.
The Texas field office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated 6% of the Texas crop was harvested by May 18 compared with 2% a year earlier and 5% as the recent five-year average for the date.
The Fort Worth Grain Exchange typically provides updates on the number and quality of new crop samples received during the early harvest in Texas. Last year, the exchange began its harvest quality reports on May 21, and in 2012, the initial report was issued on May 7, the latter marked the start of an unusually early harvest.
