Slight increase in wheat, oat production

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s small grains summary for 2025 reported the nation’s wheat and oat production were up slightly from last year.

All wheat production totaled 1.98 billion bushels in 2025, up less than 1% from the revised 2024 total.

U.S. area harvested for grain totaled 37.2 million acres, down 4% from the previous year.

The average all wheat yield in the nation was estimated at 53.3 bushels per acre, 2.1 bushels above the previous year.

Winter Wheat

Winter wheat production for 2025 totaled 1.40 billion bushels, up 3% from the 2024 total of 1.35 billion bushels.

The U.S. yield averaged 54.9 bushels per acre, 3.2 bushels better than 2024. Area harvested for grain was estimated at 25.5 million acres, 3% below 2024.

Compared with 2024, harvested acreage was down 3% in the major hard red winter growing states, the primary winter wheat-producing area, and production totaled 804 million bushels, up 4% from 2024.

In the soft red winter growing area, harvested acreage decreased 1% from 2024, and production totaled 353 million bushels, 2% above last year.

Oats

Production in 2025 was estimated at 69.6 million bushels, 2% above 2024. The U.S. average oat yield of 73.8 bushels per acre is down 3% from 2024.

Producers seeded 2.37 million acres of oats in 2025, an increase of 6% from the previous year. Despite the increase, planted area for the nation was the third lowest on record.

Area harvested for grain, at 944,000 acres, was up 6% from 2024.

‘I’ States

Illinois’ winter wheat averaged 88 bushels per acre, 2 above last year, for total production of 61.6 million bushels after harvesting 60.2 million in 2024. The state planted 780,000 acres, 10,000 higher than 2024, and harvested 700,000 acres, the same as last year.

The USDA estimated Indiana’s winter wheat average at 89 bushels per acre, matching 2024. Production for 2025 was the same as the previous year at 21.36 million bushels, also from 240,000 acres. Indiana had 320,000 planted acres in 2025, 10,000 more than 2024.

Illinois farmers planted 50,000 acres of oats, matching 2024, and harvested 14,000 acres, 3,000 below last year. The average yield was 99 bushels per acre, 6 above 2024, for total production of 1.386 million bushels, compared to 1.581 million a year ago.

Iowa had 120,000 planted acres, 25,000 above last year, and harvested 50,000 acres, 23,000 above a year ago. The state averaged 92 bushels per acre, 10 better than last year, for the production of 4.6 million bushels. Iowa harvested 5.986 million bushels in 2024.