USDA: 2012 winter wheat crop at 1.684 billion bushels

(Brownfield Ag) – USDA projects the 2012 U.S. winter wheat crop at 1.684 billion bushels, down 1% from the May estimate but up 13% from the 2011 total of 1.494 billion bushels.

The expected average yield is 47.3 bushels per acre, down three tenths of a bushel on the month but up 1.1 bushels on the year.

Harvested area is estimated at 35.580 million acres, compared to the year ago final of 32.314 million.

By class, hard red winter is pegged at 1.024 billion bushels, down 1% on the month, soft red is placed at 428.466 million bushels, a slight month to month increase, and all white winter wheat is seen at 231.307 million bushels, 1% below a month ago, with soft white at 217.183 million and hard white at 14.124 million bushels.

The top U.S. wheat producing state should be Kansas at 387 million bushels, with the best projected yield in California at 85.0 bushels per acre.

Harvest of the 2012 winter wheat crop is ongoing with USDA reporting 35% of the crop in the bin as of Sunday, June 10.

Ahead of the report, analysts via Dow Jones Newswires saw winter wheat at 1.650 billion bushels, with hard red winter at 996 million, soft red winter at 422 million, and white winter at 231 million bushels.

In 2011, U.S. wheat production totaled 1.999 billion bushels with the winter crop at 1.494 billion, including hard red winter at 780 million bushels, soft red winter at 458 million, and white winter wheat at 256 million bushels.

USDA estimates for Brownfield coverage area:

Illinois: 38.430 million bushels, compared to 46.665 million in 2011; average yield of 61.0 bushels per acre, compared to 62.0 a month ago and 61.0 a year ago; harvested area of 630,000 acres, compared to 765,000 last year.

Indiana: 19.800 million bushels, compared to 24.800 million in 2011; average yield of 60.0 bushels per acre, compared to 63.0 a month ago and 62.0 a year ago; harvested area of 330,000 acres, compared to 400,000 last year.

Missouri: 38.500 million bushels, compared to 34.000 million in 2011; average yield of 55.0 bushels per acre, compared to 51.0 a month ago and 50.0 a year ago; harvested area of 700,000 acres, compared to 680,000 last year.

Nebraska: 50.800 million bushels, compared to 65.250 million in 2011; average yield of 40.0 bushels per acre, compared to 47.0 a month ago and 45.0 a year ago; harvested area of 1.270 million acres, compared to 1.450 million last year.

Ohio: 32.330 million bushels, compared to 49.300 million in 2011; average yield of 61.0 bushels per acre, compared to 63.0 a month ago and 58.0 a year ago; harvested area of 530,000 acres, compared to 850,000 last year.

South Dakota: 55.900 million bushels, compared to 66.780 million in 2011; average yield of 43.0 bushels per acre, compared to 44.0 a month ago and 42.0 a year ago; harvested area of 1.300 million acres, compared to 1.590 million last year.

Wisconsin: 17.500 million bushels, compared to 21.775 million in 2011; average yield of 70.0 bushels per acre, compared to 67.0 a month ago and 65.0 a year ago; harvested area of 250,000 acres, compared to 335,000 last year.