STAT Communications Ag Market News

Modest Gain in Wheat Plantings Seen

WASHINGTON - Mar 29/18 - SNS -- Farmers in the United States want to boost land in all classes of wheat 3% to 47.3 million acres, according to the USDA's seeding intentions report for 2018.

This represents the second lowest all wheat planted area on record since records began in 1919. The 2018 winter wheat planted area, at 32.7 million acres, is up slightly from both last year and the previous estimate.

Of this total, about 23.2 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 5.85 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.64 million acres are White Winter.

Area planted to other spring wheat for 2018 is estimated at 12.6 million acres, up 15% from 2017. Of this total, about 12.1 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. Durum planted area for 2018 is estimated at 2.00 million acres, down 13% from the previous year.

All Wheat Area Planted - States and United States: 2016-2018
[Includes area planted in preceding fall]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :                                 Area planted
        State       :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :       2016        :       2017        :      2018 1/      :    Percent of
                    :                   :                   :                   :   previous year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :      ----------------- 1,000 acres ----------------              percent
                    :
Alabama ............:         230                 150                 190                127
Arizona ............:         111                 115                 102                 89
Arkansas ...........:         195                 200                 180                 90
California .........:         480                 420                 420                100
Colorado ...........:       2,361               2,260               2,412                107
Delaware ...........:          70                  75                  70                 93
Florida ............:          25                  20                  25                125
Georgia ............:         180                 160                 180                113
Idaho ..............:       1,190               1,165               1,240                106
Illinois ...........:         520                 500                 560                112
                    :
Indiana ............:         330                 290                 300                103
Iowa ...............:          25                  16                  20                125
Kansas .............:       8,500               7,600               7,700                101
Kentucky ...........:         510                 480                 440                 92
Louisiana ..........:          25                  20                  15                 75
Maryland ...........:         360                 410                 330                 80
Michigan ...........:         610                 480                 530                110
Minnesota ..........:       1,321               1,170               1,611                138
Mississippi ........:          65                  45                  50                111
Missouri ...........:         690                 640                 660                103
                    :
Montana ............:       5,130               5,140               4,950                 96
Nebraska ...........:       1,370               1,120               1,070                 96
Nevada .............:          15                  29                  26                 90
New Jersey .........:          25                  23                  26                113
New Mexico .........:         345                 330                 350                106
New York ...........:         120                 140                 130                 93
North Carolina .....:         420                 450                 480                107
North Dakota .......:       7,590               6,680               7,490                112
Ohio ...............:         580                 460                 490                107
Oklahoma ...........:       5,000               4,500               4,300                 96
                    :
Oregon .............:         810                 775                 790                102
Pennsylvania .......:         190                 210                 180                 86
South Carolina .....:          60                  90                  75                 83
South Dakota .......:       2,270               1,887               1,889                100
Tennessee ..........:         400                 370                 400                108
Texas ..............:       5,000               4,700               4,700                100
Utah ...............:         129                 134                 132                 99
Virginia ...........:         210                 210                 230                110
Washington .........:       2,240               2,195               2,230                102
West Virginia ......:           7                   8                   6                 75
Wisconsin ..........:         270                 210                 230                110
Wyoming ............:         140                 135                 130                 96
                    :
United States ......:      50,119              46,012              47,339                103
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Intended plantings for 2018 as indicated by reports from farmers.

Only active subscribers can read all of this article.

If you are a subscriber, please log into the website.

If you are not a subscriber, click here to subscribe to this edition of the STAT website and to learn more about becoming a subscriber.