USDA raises wheat yield projections

WASHINGTON — Indiana and Illinois winter wheat yield estimates were increased in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop production report on June 10.

USDA raised Illinois’ average winter wheat yield from 75 bushels per acre last month to 78 this month, one less than 2021.

The Prairie State has an estimated 660,000 planted acres for a projected production of 51.48 million bushels compared to 48.19 million last year.

The average winter wheat yield in Indiana is estimated at 78 bushels per acre, two higher than last month’s report. Last year’s 85 bushels per acre was a record in Indiana.

Indiana has an estimated 240,000 planted acres, 30,000 below last year, with projected production of 18.72 million bushels. Wheat growers produced 22.95 million bushels a year ago.

Nationwide

U.S. winter wheat production is forecast at 1.18 billion bushels, up 1% from the May 1 forecast, but 7% lower than in 2021.

As of June 1, the U.S. yield is forecast at 48.2 bushels per acre, up 0.3 bushel from last month, but down 2 bushels from last year’s average yield of 50.2 bushels per acre.

Producers in Missouri and Tennessee are expecting record yields of 71 and 73 bushels per acre, respectively.

As of May 29, 29% of the winter wheat acreage in the 18 major producing states was rated in good to excellent condition, 19 percentage points lower than at the same time last year.

Nationally, 72% of the winter wheat crop was headed by May 29, four percentage points behind the five-year average pace.