With the wheat market hotter than the fairgrounds in August, is your interest increasing in producing wheat for 2008 harvest? The wheat market is fired up because of poor overseas crops and the fear that corn or soybeans will eat into wheat acreage next spring. So what is new in wheat production that you should know?

Don’t know what to budget for production costs? Illinois economists Gary Schnitkey and Dale Lattz have prepared crop budgets which will help guide your estimation of production costs. A national resource asks for your state to help you find a crop budget.

Don’t know what varieties to plant? That is not a problem if you can identify your state on the map of the North Central Crop Evaluation Committee. Choose your state and it will take you to a report on yield performance for the popular varieties planted in your state, as well as other agronomic factors for those varieties. You will wonder whether to select a low test weight certified seed for your area, or whether to select a high test weight seed not for your area. Kansas State agronomist Jim Shroyer says go with what is adapted to your area.

Don’t know about wheat performance in a corn and soybean rotation? If you grew corn this year, there may be a benefit to wheat next year which will consume some of the unused nitrogen you applied this year, says Illinois agronomist Steve Ebelhar, particularly if you have had droughty conditions. Review his fertility information. And Kansas State agronomist Dale Leikam recommends a soil test before planting wheat.

Don’t have a grain drill? That may be beneficial says Ohio State agronomist Jim Beuerline. He says wide rows planted by a planter can produce 99 to 105% of the yield planted with a drill. “We have evaluated wheat varieties in 15-inch rows for several years and have learned that some varieties will produce about as much yield in 15-inch rows as in narrow rows.”

Don’t really know enough about the wheat market? USDA’s monthly Wheat Outlook released Tuesday indicates US production and carryover are both down, foreign production is also down, and US exports will be up. The season average price should be $5.10 to $5.70 per bushel.

Don’t know what pests to prepare for and scout for? That really depends on your state, so select your state from a list of crop production and pest management newsletters, offered by the Integrated Pest Management Center.

Summary:
If the price of wheat has tempted you to plant some this fall, there will be many preparations required, ranging from crop budgets and pest management, to seed selection and planting requirements. Numerous resources are available to jump start a desire for planting wheat this fall for 2008 harvest.