mi-press-releases News Release NR-12-29 May 10, 2012 U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Field Office Michigan Department of Agriculture Post Office Box 30239 Lansing, MI 48909-6248 Phone: (517) 324-5300 Facsimile: (517) 324-5299 E-mail: nass-mi@nass.usda.gov Web site: www.nass.usda.gov Jay V. Johnson, Director Wheat Production Michigan's first wheat production forecast of 2012 indicates a slightly smaller yield than last year according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Michigan wheat growers expect to harvest 540,000 acres, down 140,000 acres from last year. Michigan winter wheat yield is forecast at 74 bushels per acre, down a bushel from last year. Wheat production in the State is expected to total nearly 40 million bushels. Wheat condition was rated 66 percent good to excellent on April 30. Most growers were able to take advantage of the early spring to apply herbicides and top dress nitrogen in a timely fashion. Growers reported little winter kill. U.S. winter wheat production is forecast at 1.69 billion bushels, up 13 percent from 2011. The area expected to be harvested for grain or seed totals 35.6 million acres, up 10 percent from last year. Based on May 1 conditions, the United States yield is forecast at 47.6 bushels per acre, up 1.4 bushels from last year. Hay stocks in Michigan on May 1, 2012 were 360,000 tons, down 14.3 percent from this time last year. U.S. hay stocks on May 1, 2012 totaled 21.4 million tons, down 4 percent from a year ago. Disappearance from December 1, 2011-May 1, 2012 totaled 69.3 million tons, compared with 79.9 million tons for the same period a year ago. This is the smallest disappearance since 1985. Compared with last year, hay stocks as a percent of production increased across much of the Northern Tier and in many Eastern States. On-farm hay stocks declined from last year in a number of Great Plain States, as prolonged drought conditions hampered pasture growth and forced many livestock producers to feed an increased amount of hay to their herds. Crop summary, May 2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Michigan : United States : :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Commodity : Unit : : : : Record : Year : : : : : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 : high : set : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wheat, winter : : Planted : 1,000 acres : 530 700 570 1,524 1953 37,335 40,646 41,709 Harvested : 1,000 acres : 510 680 540 1,515 1953 31,741 32,314 35,580 Yield : Bushels : 70.0 75.0 74.0 75.0 2011 46.8 46.2 47.6 Production : 1,000 bu : 35,700 51,000 39,960 51,000 2011 1,484,861 1,493,677 1,693,710 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------