U.S. Spring Wheat Acres Expected Down This Year

U.S. spring wheat acres are expected to be down this year due to lower prices and competition from other crops. In the USDA Prospective Plantings report, U.S. spring wheat acres were estimated at 11.3 million acres, down 14 percent from 2015. In North Dakota, acreage is projected at 5.7 million, down 15 percent. Planting of the spring wheat crop has begun, and barring any major changes in weather, it looks to be an early planting season again this year.

Thirteen percent of the U.S. spring wheat crop has been planted, according to the USDA NASS weekly crop progress report, similar to last year’s pace and slightly ahead of average. Planting progress was fairly limited last week as cool, windy conditions kept producers out of the field. In North Dakota, about 5 percent of the intended acreage has been planted, most of it in the southern tier of the state. Much of the state is considered to be abnormally dry or in a moderate drought stage, so precipitation would be welcome. In South Dakota, planting is furthest advanced with 29 percent planted, followed by Montana at 17 percent and Minnesota at 5 percent. Temperatures are supposed to warm this week which should allow additional planting progress.