"What the drought didn't get, two freezes in April seriously injured," Miller said.

The projected harvest in early April was 100 million bushels. The latest projection is about 50 million bushels, he said.

"We had a pretty good stand over much of the Rolling Plains and High Plains. The area from San Angelo to Amarillo was too dry and lot of it didn't even get a stand," Miller said.

The southern Blacklands didn't get a stand either, but the northern Blacklands looked good, and the northern High Plains looked very good in the fall, he said.

"And they got some rains in the spring, and things were looking up," he said.

Then came two hard freezes in April, about 10 days apart.

"From 20 to 100 percent loss was common to a lot of the Blacklands and Rolling Plains," Miller said. "The area north of Amarillo didn't get a lot of freeze damage, but everywhere else did."

Two significant weather disasters is more than a lot of wheat producers are going to be able to take, he said.

"We've seen a lot of abandoned wheat," Miller said.

The following summaries were compiled by AgriLife Extension district reporters:

CENTRAL: Crop and forage conditions were improved by rain, but many counties need more rain for ponds and stock-water tanks. Corn that was replanted after freeze was responding. The body condition for cattle improved and milk production increased with abundant green grass. Most cotton plantings were completed.

COASTAL BEND: The region remained hot and dry, with most crops in poor condition. AgriLife Extension agents reported that many cotton acres were "zeroed-out" by insurance adjusters. Determinations on sorghum were scheduled. Pastures were short, and livestock continued to receive supplemental feeding. Producers continued to sell down herds.

EAST: Soil moisture levels were up and forages were doing well. County to county, rainfall amounts varied widely, from 0.75- 9 inches. AgriLife Extension in Henderson County reported a loss of 50 percent of early maturing blueberries, but late-maturing varieties seemed to have escaped. Livestock were in good condition, and spring calves were being worked in many counties. Feral hog activity was still high. AgriLife Extension in Nacogdoches County reported that one producer caught 22 feral hogs in a trap and the next day caught six more.

FAR WEST: No moisture reported except for Val Verde County with accumulations of 0.5-1.5 inches. Breezy days and low humidity raised the danger of wildfire. Range grasses that had begun to green up became dormant. Pecan orchards were in full bloom. Fall-planted onions began bulbing; yellow thrip (an onion pest) pressure was low. Some farmers began planting cotton on irrigated fields. Dryland farmers were waiting for rain. Some sunflowers were planted. The wheat crop was in poor condition. Most irrigated wheat was damaged by hail and will be cut for hay instead of grain. The chile and paprika crops emerged. The second cutting of alfalfa was begun on some fields. There were reports of alfalfa weevils and armyworms, but not in substantial numbers.

NORTH: The district received from 3-12 inches of rain. All land preparation, planting, haying and other field work was postponed due to saturated soils. Wheat cut for hay and not harvested before the rain deteriorated in the field. Meadows and pastures were full of winter annual grasses. Cattle were in fair condition. Mosquito numbers were on the rise. Winter wheat was 100 percent headed. Corn was 100 percent emerged. Sorghum was 90 to100 percent planted. Soybeans were 65 to 98 percent planted and 15 to 90 percent emerged. Rice was 20 percent planted, 15 percent emerged.

PANHANDLE: The region received some moisture and saw cooler temperatures. Soil moisture levels were still rated mostly short. Producers nearly finished planting corn; stands were rated fair to good. Range conditions were mostly poor, but improved with recent rains. Cattle were fair to good.

ROLLING PLAINS: Temperatures fluctuated over the past week, and it almost felt like fall again, reported AgriLife Extension personnel. Because of the rain over the past couple of weeks, conditions began to turn around across most of the region. Pastures greened up and promised to produce enough forage to hold cattle for awhile. Most cotton fields had enough soil moisture for producers to start planting, but no planting began. Cattle were in good to excellent condition. Ranchers began taking cattle off winter wheat and putting them on native pastures.

SOUTH: No rain, extremely hot temperatures and very short soil moisture conditions were the rule throughout the entire region. Range and pastures were brown and in poor condition. In the north, potato harvesting was in full swing. Wheat and green bean harvesting began. Corn was tasseling, and producers began to plant cotton. Crop insurance adjusters "zeroed-out" the cotton fields they evaluated and were expected soon to begin looking at grain sorghum fields. Managing irrigation dominated producers' time in the western parts of the region. Corn, cotton, sorghum and melons were reaching critical developmental stages, making proper irrigation management essential. Onion harvesting began. Producers were encountering problems with bolting (seed stalk developing prematurely), which will decrease yields and quality. Producers were harvesting cabbage, with good to excellent quality reported. The harvesting of watermelons continued. Producers continued to provide supplemental feed to cattle. The hot days were accelerating evaporation in stock tanks that were not already dry. Cattle culling was moderate, but an increase in herd sell-offs was expected soon without rain.

SOUTH PLAINS: The region was dry with temperatures soaring to near 100 degrees. Soil moisture was very short to short. Corn, sunflower, sorghum and peanut planting continued. Some irrigated cotton planting began and was expected to pick up speed soon. Dryland cotton producers held off planting, waiting for rain. Wheat was in very poor to poor condition. Due to the freeze in April, wheat yields likely will be low. Producers may not bother to harvest many fields. Insurance adjusters were examining fields. Many wheat fields probably will be baled for hay. Pastures and ranges were in very poor to poor condition. Cattle were in good condition with continued supplemental feeding.

SOUTHEAST: Conditions improved. Pastures were in good shape, and first cuttings of hay were finished with prospects high for a second cutting. Some hay fields were being baled to remove winter annuals. Warm-season grasses showed moderate growth. Producers were applying pesticides. Cattle and other livestock were doing well. There were reports of continued coyote attacks on young calves. Rice planting was completed.

SOUTHWEST: High winds with unseasonably warm weather with record high or near record high temperatures extended the drought. The soil profile remained extremely dry. The San Antonio Water System began the first phase of water rationing. Forage was in short supply. The region looked slightly green, but pastures, ranges and dryland crops made little progress. Ranchers continued to provide heavy supplemental feeding to remaining livestock. The spinach harvest was completed, and cabbage harvest was ongoing. The onion harvest was in full swing. The potato harvest was expected to begin soon. Potatoes, spring onions, irrigated corn, sorghum and cotton made good progress under heavy irrigation.

WEST CENTRAL: Hot, windy days with mild, cool nights continued. Field preparation and planting of summer forages was under way. Some producers were baling small grain fields damaged by a late freeze. Range and pasture conditions improved, but stock tank levels were a major concern. Water may soon have to be hauled in. The pecan crop looked good where there was no hard freeze. Growers began spraying for pecan case bearers.