As total U.S. wheat acres have continued to decline for the past three decades, Idaho wheat acres have remained stable.
Before 1996, this country’s total wheat, corn and soybean acres were about the same every year, ranging between 62 million and 71 million each. But since then, soybean and corn acres have continued to increase, while wheat acres have headed the other direction.
Except in Idaho.
The state’s farmers plant about 1.2 million acres of wheat each year.
According to USDA’s March 31 Prospective Planting report, U.S. farmers plan to plant 95 million acres of corn and 85 million acres of soybeans in 2026.
The nation’s farmers plan to plant 44 million acres of wheat, down 3 percent from last year and, if realized, it will be the lowest U.S. wheat acreage since records began in 1919.
Meanwhile, Idaho farmers plan to plant 1.24 million acres of wheat this year, up 2 percent from 1.22 million acres last year.
“Acres planted to wheat in Idaho have remained steady over the past 40 or so years, even as wheat acres have been replaced by soybeans and corn across the country,” says Britany Hurst Marchant, executive director of the Idaho Wheat Commission.
Why is this happening?
For starters, Idaho is not a soybean state and most of the corn grown here – about 350,000 acres per year – goes to feed for dairies.
It’s also due to the fact that wheat is an essential rotation crop throughout much of the state, says Burley farmer Wayne Hurst, a member of the wheat commission.
Wheat breaks up the disease and wheat cycle for other major crops in Idaho, such as potatoes, sugar beets, alfalfa and dry beans, he says. It also adds organic matter to the soil.
“It’s a great rotation crop. It fits well in Idaho,” Hurst says.
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