Modest Hike in U.S. Wheat Harvest

WASHINGTON - Jan 12/06 - SNS -- Production of all classes of wheta in the Unioted States totaled 2.10 billion bushels in 2005, up fractionally from the Small Grains 2005 Summary but 2% below 2004, according to the USDA's final crop production report for 2005.

Area harvested for grain at 50.1 million acres, is fractionally above the Small Grains 2005 Summary and last year. The U.S. yield is 42.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from the Small Grains 2005 Summary but down 1.2 bushels from a year ago.

The 2005 winter wheat production is estimated at 1.50 billion bushels, up fractionally from the Small Grains 2005 Summary but down fractionally from last year. The U.S. yield is 44.4 bushels per acre, 0.9 bushel above last year. Acreage for grain is estimated at 33.8 million acres, fractionally above the Small Grains 2005 Summary but 2% below the previous year.

Hard Red Winter (HRW) harvested acreage is down from last year in the southern portion of the Great Plains States due to fewer planted acres. In Texas, harvested acres were lost partly because of severe weather in the Panhandle during the month of June. Harvested acres in the central and northern portions of the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Northwest States are up with the exception of Oregon.

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