Record Low Oat Harvest

WASHINGTON - Jan 11/08 - SNS -- U.S. oat production is estimated at a record low 91.6 million bushels, unchanged from the Small Grain 2007 Summary but down 2% from last year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) final crop report for 2007.

The estimated yield is 60.9 bushels per acre, up 1.1 bushels from the previous year. Area planted to oats is estimated at a record low 3.76 million acres, down 10% from 2006. Harvested area, at 1.51 million acres, is 4% below last year. This is the smallest acreage harvested for grain on record, continuing a steady downward trend. The largest decline occurred in Wisconsin, where area harvested for grain decreased 70,000 acres from last year.

Compared with last year, yields increased in most States throughout the Great Plains and central Rocky Mountains. In Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, favorable growing conditions led to yield increases from last year of 17 bushels or more. Yields declined from last year in the Pacific Northwest, the Ohio Valley and adjacent areas, and the middle Mississippi Valley. The largest declines in yield occurred in Indiana and Washington, where hot, dry weather hampered crop development. Yields in Indiana and Washington declined 25 bushels from 2006.

During early spring, planting of the oat crop lagged behind the normal pace. By April 29, growers had planted 62% of their acreage, 11 points behind normal. During April, emergence also trailed behind the normal pace. By the end of April, emergence was 35% complete, 12 points behind the 5-year average and 13 points behind last year. However, by mid-May, the oat crop had advanced to 98% planted, 3 points ahead of normal, with all major producing States at or ahead of their normal planting pace with the exception of South Dakota.

Through June, crop development was at or ahead of normal in all major oat-producing States. As of July 1, eighty-nine% of the oat acreage was headed, 9 points ahead of the 5-year average. The crop was most advanced in Texas and Ohio, where 100% and 99%, respectively, was at or beyond the heading stage. Progress was ahead of the normal pace in all major producing States except Nebraska.

By the end of July, 51% of the oat acreage was harvested, the same as last year but 9 points ahead of the normal pace. Texas was nearly complete at 96% harvested with progress in Nebraska following closely behind at 88%. In North Dakota, only 10% of the oat crop was harvested, which was only 1 point behind normal but was 25 points behind last year's pace. By August 26, harvest was 98% complete in the major producing States, 5 points ahead of normal.

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