BLACKSBURG, Va., Aug. 26 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:
For generations, wheat planting has followed predictable seasonal patterns. But this year, unseasonably warm weather in March and April accelerated wheat growth, pushing the crop into a vulnerable growth stage whenwidespread freezing temperatures hit.
As weather becomes less predictable, choosing the right planting date has become more difficult. For wheat growers in Virginia, where tight margins already make every decision count, getting the timing right is a matter of survival.
"Wheat's low market price and high input costs have meant that Virginia's wheat acreage has declined in recent years," said Joseph Oakes, Eastern V...