Sunday, February 16, 1997

Texas Wheat fields show more promise in '97

By MARK BABINECK / Associated Press

WHEELER (AP) - Spying the vast farmland around Wheeler County, there isn't a hint at the bounty beneath the snow-covered terrain this time of year.

Come spring, many are hopeful that the barren landscape will yield an amber bounty for the first time in four seasons.

"We've had the best wheat we've had in several years this fall and winter," said Dean Tipps, a 46-year veteran of farming the eastern Texas Panhandle. "We've had the moisture and everything. It's done great."

There's not much to see now. Wheat stalks ceased growing once the soil got cold enough, and ranging cattle gobbled up much of the stubble that sprouted late last year.

When the crop begins greening up this month in preparation for harvest time in May, farmers are optimistic that three years of subpar production will end with a flourish.

"Our wheat conditions are a lot better than they were a year ago," said Rodney Mosier of the Texas Wheat Producers Association. "We've seen a light dusting a snow, though the crops still are in need of a good rain. Recently, we're just starting to see wheat being stressed (by dry weather)."

Where normal production in years past has been more than 100 million Texas bushels, growers have barely pushed 75 million recently. Just enough snow and rain has kept falling this year to keep everyone hopeful, yet tentative.

Texas usually ranks about fifth nationally in wheat production, most of it coming in the Panhandle and the Rolling Plains of central West Texas. Dallam County, in the northwestern corner of the Panhandle, is the traditional leader.

This time last year, farmers knew that drought had pretty much done them in. Now, they're ready to reap a profit for the first time in years.

"Right now, about everything is holding its own," Mosier said.