The USDA issued their first wheat crop production estimate for the 2018 production cycle- and it shows that the hard red winter wheat crop will be significantly smaller than 2017 production. Hard Red Winter production, at 647 million bushels, is predicted to be down 14 percent from a year ago.
Total winter wheat production is forecast at 1.19 billion bushels, down 6 percent from 2017. As of May 1, the United States yield is forecast at 48.1 bushels per acre, down 2.1 bushels from last year’s average yield of 50.2 bushels per acre.
In the southern great plains- where harvest is just weeks away- the drought stressed Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas crops are well below 2017 production. The Oklahoma wheat crop is expected to be 47% smaller than a year ago, with total production of 52 million bushels being based on 2 million acres that will be harvested- with an expected yield of 26 bushels per acre. The 52 million bushel total is six million fewer bushels than was predicted by the Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association nine days ago.
In talking with Oklahoma State Wheat Specialist Dr. David Marburger on Wednesday morning in Kildare, he told Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays that he was hearing about many acres of marginal wheat production that would not be harvested for grain- but instead for hay or for grazing. The estimate by the Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association was predicated on 2.3 million acres of harvested wheat- which Marburger felt was too high.
Click here for our earlier story with Marburger for a chance to hear his comments on the 2018 production that he is now expecting.