The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the USDA released its crop production forecast on May 10, 2024. Winter wheat production is projected to reach 1.28 billion bushels, a 2 percent increase from 2023. The forecasted yield for the United States is 50.7 bushels per acre, slightly up from last year’s average of 50.6 bushels per acre. The area expected to be harvested for grain or seed is 25.2 million acres, also up 2 percent from last year.
The breakdown of winter wheat production includes:
- Hard Red Winter: 705 million bushels, up 17 percent from last year.
- Soft Red Winter: 344 million bushels, down 23 percent from 2023.
- White Winter: 229 million bushels, up 16 percent from last year, with 17.3 million bushels being Hard White and 211 million bushels being Soft White.
These projections indicate a positive outlook for overall winter wheat production in 2024, with significant increases in Hard Red and White Winter wheat production offsetting the decrease in Soft Red Winter wheat.
