Slow U.S. winter thaw needed to avoid more wheat damage-USDA

CANBERRA, March 4 (Reuters) - A gradual end to the U.S. big freeze is needed to prevent further damage to the country's wheat crop, the chief economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Tuesday.

U.S. wheat futures Wc1 have firmed in recent weeks amid concerns over potential curbs to yields as a result of cold weather across the U.S. plains.

"The persistence of winter has been a problem...," said the USDA's Joseph Glauber at a commodities conference in the Australian capital Canberra.

"We have had snow cover over a lot of the regions and to a degree that has protected things, but the concern is that when you have a bit of warm weather and wheat popping out dormancy," he said, referring to the risk that short-lived warmer weather could melt snows and could encourage growth that would be damaged by further cold snaps.

(Reporting by Michael Perry)

((michael.perry@thomsonreuters.com; +61 9373 1804; Reuters Messaging: michael.perry.reuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: USDA WHEAT/