Market News

USDA pegs winter wheat at 1.492 billion bushels

USDA’s 2009 winter wheat production estimate came out near the pre-report expectation at 1.492 billion bushels. That’s down 1% from the May report but 20% below 2008 on smaller planted area and some production issues, especially in Oklahoma and Texas. Before the report, estimates ranged from 1.482 billion to 1.531 billion bushels, with an average of 1.496 billion.

Steve Mercer Director of Communications at U.S. Wheat Associates says that the numbers have both positive and negative traits, but overall the numbers weren’t surprising, adding “We can see the world has a lot of wheat right now and I think that’s going to be reflected going forward.”

The average 2009 yield was pegged at 43.9 bushels per acre, compared to May’s guess of 44.2 and the 2008 average of 47.2 bushels per acre. 2009 harvested area came out at 33.995 million bushels, compared to 39.614 million in 2008 primarily because of a 400,000 acre increase in Colorado.

By type, hard red winter came out at 867.596 million bushels, compared to 1.035 billion in 2008, soft red was placed at 415.433 million, compared to 613.578 million a year ago, and white winter totaled 208.740 million bushels, compared to 219.090 million last year.

Illinois: 50.400 million bushels, down 23.2 million from 2008; average yield of 63.0 bushels per acre, down 1.0 from last year; harvested area 800,000 acres, compared to 1.15 million a year ago.

Indiana: 29.670 million bushels, down 8.97 million from 2008; average yield of 69.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from last year; harvested area 430,000 acres, compared to 560,000 a year ago.

Missouri: 38.250 million bushels, down 17.43 million from 2008; average yield of 51.0 bushels per acre, up 3.0 from last year; harvested area 750,000 acres, compared to 1.16 million a year ago.

Nebraska: 72.000 million bushels, down 1.480 million from 2008; average yield of 45.0 bushels per acre, up 1.0 from last year; harvested area 1.600 million acres, compared to 1.670 million a year ago.

South Carolina: 8.160 million bushels, down 2.91 million from 2008; average yield of 51.0 bushels per acre, down 3.0 from last year; harvested area of 160,000 acres, compared to 205,000 a year ago.

South Dakota: 69.750 million bushels, down 34.2 million from 2008; average yield of 45.0 bushels per acre, down 10.0 from last year; harvested area 1.550 million acres, compared to 1.890 million a year ago.

Wisconsin: 18.910 million bushels, down 3.2 million from 2008; average yield of 62.0 bushels per acre, down 4.0 from last year; harvested area 305,000 acres, compared to 335,000 a year ago.

Steve Mercer discusses the numbers and what U.S. Wheat Associates is doing for farmers (11 minutes)