July 11, 2008

Missouri Wheat Production Down 4 Percent

COLUMBIA, MO - Winter wheat production in Missouri is forecast at 58.2 million bushels, based on conditions as of July 1, 2008, down 4 percent from the June 1 forecast. This would be 54 percent above the 2007 crop and 19 percent above 2 years ago. Estimated acreage for harvest, at 1.12 million acres, is unchanged from June 1 and 240,000 acres more than the 880,000 acres harvested in 2007. As of July 1, the average yield is forecast at 52.0 bushels per acre, down 2 bushels from last month and 9.0 bushels per acre over last year’s average. “With harvest approaching completion, producers are enjoying above average yields after they battled abnormal weather conditions throughout the spring and summer,” said Gene Danekas, Director, Missouri Agricultural Statistics.

U.S. Winter Wheat Production Up 3 Percent

Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.86 billion bushels. This is up 3 percent from last month and 23 percent above 2007. The U.S. yield is forecast at 46.3 bushels per acre, up 1.0 bushel from last month and 4.1 bushels from last year. The area expected to be harvested for grain totals 40.3 million acres, unchanged from the Acreage report released on June 30, 2008 but up 12 percent from last year.

Hard Red, at 1.04 billion bushels, is up 1 percent from a month ago. Soft Red Winter, at 607 million bushels, is up 6 percent from the last forecast. White Winter is up 1 percent from last month and now totals 218 million bushels. Of this total, 23.3 million bushels are Hard White and 194 million bushels are Soft White.