Winter Wheat Yields Improve

WASHINGTON - Jul 11/12 - SNS -- U.S. winter wheat production is forecast at 1.67 billion bushels, down 1% from the June 1 forecast but up 12% from 2011, according to the USDA's latest crop report.

Based on July 1 conditions, the United States yield is forecast at 47.7 bushels per acre, up 0.4 bushel from last month and 1.5 bushels more than last year. The area expected to be harvested for grain or seed totals 35.0 million acres, unchanged from the Acreage report released on June 29, 2012 but up 8% from last year.

Hard Red Winter, at 1.01 billion bushels, is down 1% from a month ago. Soft Red Winter production is up slightly from last month and now totals 429 million bushels. White Winter production totals 232 million bushels, up slightly from last month. Of this total, 14.0 million bushels are Hard White and 218 million bushels are Soft White.

As of July 1, harvest progress was significantly ahead of normal in all Hard Red Winter (HRW) States except Montana, where harvest had not yet begun. Harvest was complete or nearing completion in several States. Yield increases from last month in the HRW growing area are expected in Kansas and Nebraska, but down in Colorado and Montana.

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