‘I’ wheat yields challenge records

WASHINGTON — Illinois and Indiana wheat growers produced another record or near-record crop, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s estimates released July 12.

Illinois’ winter wheat crop is projected by USDA to average 79 bushels per acre, matching last year’s record and 1 above last month’s forecast. The previous high-water mark of 76 bushels per acre was reached in 2017.

If realized, the 720,000 harvested acres will produce 56.88 million bushels. Illinois had 610,000 harvested acres in 2021, producing 48.19 million bushels.

USDA pegged Indiana’s winter wheat yield average at 82 bushels per acre, 3 below last year’s record and 3 above the June forecast.

With 250,000 harvested acres, Indiana is expected to produce 20.5 million bushels. The state had 270,000 harvested acres in 2021, producing 22.95 million bushels.

Nationwide

U.S. winter wheat production is forecast at 1.20 billion bushels, up 2% from the previous forecast, but down 6% from 2021.

Based on July 1 conditions, the U.S. average yield is forecast at 48 bushels per acre, down 0.2 bushel from last month and down 2.2 bushels from last year’s average yield of 50.2 bushels per acre.

Area expected to be harvested for grain or seed totals 25 million acres, unchanged from the acreage report released on June 30, but down 2% from last year.

Besides Illinois, record high yields are also forecast in Maryland at 79 bushels per acre and North Dakota at 58 bushels per acre. Maryland’s yield would match the previous year and, if reaching fruition, North Dakota’s yield would be 25 bushels per acre higher than 2021.