June 9, 2006

Missouri Wheat Production Unchanged from Last Month

Columbia, MO - “Expectations for the Missouri winter wheat crop are holding steady with a month ago but are up sharply from a year earlier," said Gene Danekas, Director, USDA’s Missouri Agricultural Statistics. “Yields are likely to vary considerably by area but the increased acreage this year will raise production to a more normal level after being down sharply last year.” This is the first forecast in 2006 based on in-field measurements along with farmer reports.

The State production of winter wheat is forecast at 46.1 million bushels, based on conditions as of June 1, 2006, up 58 percent from the 2005 crop but unchanged from the May 1 forecast. Yields in the State are expected to average 53 bushels per acre, down 1 bushel from the 2005 yield, also unchanged from May 1. Harvested acres are forecast at 870,000, up 61 percent from the low 2005 acreage level.

U.S. Winter Wheat Production Down 4 Percent from May

Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.26 billion bushels, down 4 percent from the May 1 forecast and 16 percent below 2005. Based on June 1 conditions, the U.S. yield is forecast at 40.5 bushels per acre, down 1.9 bushels from last month and 3.9 bushels less than last year. Grain area totals 31.2 million acres, unchanged from May 1. Hard Red production is down 8 percent from a month ago to 659 million bushels. Soft Red is up slightly from last month and now totals 357 million bushels. White production totals 248 million bushels, down 2 percent from last month. Of the White production total, 19.7 million bushels are Hard White and 228 million bushels are Soft White.

Wheat yield forecasts in states adjacent to Missouri are as follows: Arkansas 55; Illinois 65; Kansas 31; Kentucky 68; Nebraska 34; Oklahoma 22 and Tennessee 58.