Oklahoma winter wheat farmers are starting

to harvest, and agriculture officials say good weather has made for

a much stronger crop this year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts that Oklahoma will

harvest 154.8 million bushels over 4.3 million acres. Oklahoma on

average produces 110 million bushels per year.

The harvest began several weeks earlier than usual, with the

mild spring providing ideal conditions for wheat to grow and ripen.

Oklahoma yields are expected to be 36 bushels per acre, compared

with 22 bushels last year. Growers planted an estimated 4.3 million

acres of wheat, up from 3.2 million last year