mn-press-releases MINNESOTA AG NEWS USDA, NASS MN Dept of Agriculture MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE PO Box 7068, St. Paul, MN 55107 Douglas Hartwig, Director Phone: (651) 296-2230 Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn/ E-mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SMALL GRAINS SUMMARY Released: September 30, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA SPRING WHEAT PRODUCTION UP 30 PERCENT FROM 2007 Minnesota’s SPRING WHEAT production is estimated at 100.8 million bushels, an increase of 30 percent from 2007, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. Spring wheat yield, at 56.0 bushels per acre, is up 9 bushels from 2007. This yield is second highest on record for Minnesota, below the 2003 level of 58.0 bushels per acre. Spring wheat harvested area for grain is 1.8 million acres. WINTER WHEAT production, at 3.64 million bushels, is up 26 percent from last year. Acres harvested for grain in 2008 are 70,000 acres, up 17percent from last year. Yield, at 52.0 bushels per acre, is up 4 bushels from 2007. OAT production is estimated at 11.9 million bushels, up 10 percent from last year. Harvested area for grain is 175,000 acres, down 3 percent from 2007. Yield, at 68.0 bushels per acre, is up 8 bushels from last year. BARLEY production of 7.2 million bushels is up 16 percent from last year. Barley harvested is 110,000 acres, unchanged from last year. Yield, at 65.0 bushels per acre, is up 9 bushels from 2007. U.S. HIGHLIGHTS All wheat production totals 2.50 billion bushels in 2008, up 2 percent from the August forecast and up 21 percent from 2007. Grain area is 55.7 million acres, up 9 percent from last year. The U.S. yield is 44.9 bushels per acre, up 1.4 bushels from the last forecast and up 4.4 bushels from last year. The levels of production and changes from last year by type are: winter wheat, 1.87 billion bushels, up 23 percent; other spring wheat, 547 million bushels, up 14 percent; Durum wheat, 84.9 million bushels, up 18 percent. Oat production is estimated at a record low 88.6 million bushels, 1 percent below the August 1 forecast and down 3 percent from last year. The estimated yield is 63.5 bushels per acre, up 1.2 bushels from the last forecast and up 2.6 bushels from the previous year. Compared with last year, yields increased in the central and southern Great Plains, Pacific Northwest, and most States in the eastern half of the country. Harvested area, at 1.40 million acres, is 3 percent and 7 percent below August and last year, respectively. This is the smallest acreage harvested for grain on record, continuing a steady downward trend. Barley production is estimated at 239 million bushels, 10 percent above the August forecast and 13 percent above 2007. Average yield per acre, at 63.6 bushels, is up 3.7 bushels from August and 3.2 bushels from last year. The area harvested for grain is estimated at 3.77 million acres, up 7 percent from a year ago. MINNESOTA & U.S. HARVESTED ACRES, YIELD, AND PRODUCTION COMMODITY 2007 2008 2007 2008 2007 2008 HARVESTED HARVESTED YIELD YIELD PRODUCTION PRODUCTION ACRES ACRES (000) (000) (000) (000) MINNESOTA SPRING WHEAT (Bu) 1,650 1,800 47.0 56.0 77,550 100,800 WINTER WHEAT (Bu) 60 70 48.0 52.0 2,880 3,640 BARLEY (Bu) 110 110 56.0 65.0 6,160 7,150 OATS (Bu) 180 175 60.0 68.0 10,800 11,900 UNITED STATES SPRING WHEAT (Bu) 12,947 13,487 37.0 40.5 479,047 546,744 WINTER WHEAT (Bu) 35,952 39,614 42.2 47.2 1,515,989 1,867,903 BARLEY (Bu) 3,508 3,767 60.4 63.6 211,825 239,498 OATS (Bu) 1,505 1,395 60.9 63.5 91,599 88,635