Increase in winter wheat acres

WASHINGTON — Winter wheat planted area for the 2022 U.S. harvest is estimated at 34.4 million acres, a 2% increase from last year and 13% higher than 2020.

The Winter Wheat and Canola Seedings report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Jan. 12 estimated soft red winter wheat planted area at 7.07 million acres, up 6% from last year.

Compared with last year, the largest acreage increases are expected in Missouri, 38%; North Carolina, 31%; and Ohio, 21%; while the largest acreage decreases are expected in Maryland, 16%; and Michigan, 23%.

Illinois has a winter wheat seeded area of 730,000 acres, a 9% increase over last year’s 670,000 acres, and there were 570,000 acres in 2020. This marks the highest seeded area in the Prairie State since 2014.

Indiana’s winter wheat seeded area of 310,000 acres is down 9% from last year, when 340,000 acres were seeded. Indiana’s acreage was 300,000 in 2020.