Winter Wheat Seedings ISSN: 1949-1980 Released January 12, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Planted Acres Up 3 Percent Winter wheat seeded area for 2012 is expected to total 41.9 million acres, up 3 percent from 2011. Approximate class acreage breakdowns are: Hard Red Winter, 30.1 million; Soft Red Winter, 8.37 million; and White Winter, 3.49 million. Winter Wheat Area Seeded - United States: 2010-2012 (Domestic Units) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Crop year : 2012 State :--------------------------------------------------: as a percent : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 : of 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 acres 1,000 acres 1,000 acres percent : Winter wheat ..: 37,335 40,646 41,947 103 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Winter Wheat Area Seeded - United States: 2010-2012 (Metric Units) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Crop year : 2012 State :--------------------------------------------------: as a percent : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 : of 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : hectares hectares hectares percent : Winter wheat ..: 15,109,100 16,449,030 16,975,530 103 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Winter wheat: Planted area for harvest in 2012 is estimated at 41.9 million acres, up 3 percent from 2011 and 12 percent above 2010. Seeding began last September and ended the month behind the 5-year average as late row crop harvest delayed planting in many northern States. However, by the end of October, seeding had progressed slightly ahead of the 5-year average. More acres were seeded this year due to higher prices and an acreage rebound in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas where dry conditions had limited 2011 planted acres. The winter wheat crop condition at the end of November was rated 52 percent good to excellent compared with 47 percent the previous year. Hard Red Winter (HRW) wheat seeded area is about 30.1 million acres, up 6 percent from 2011. Acreage is above last year's level in all States in the HRW growing area except California, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The dry fall limited planting in South Dakota, while winter wheat seeded area in Nebraska is a record low. Soft Red Winter (SRW) wheat seeded area is about 8.37 million acres, down 2 percent from last year. While large acreage increases from last year are estimated in the Southeast, large acreage decreases occurred in most States in the Corn Belt and Northeast, primarily due to a late row crop harvest. In Ohio, a record low area was planted due to wet soil conditions during the fall of 2011. White Winter wheat seeded area totals nearly 3.49 million acres, down 3 percent from 2011. Planted acreage in the Pacific Northwest (Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) is down from last year. Seeding started off slow but by the end of October was at or ahead of the 5-year average in all three States. By November 6, seeding was virtually complete in the region with 83 percent of the acreage emerged in Washington, 90 percent emerged in Idaho, and 48 percent emerged in Oregon. Durum wheat: Seedings in Arizona and California for 2012 harvest are estimated at 230,000 acres, up 15 percent from the 2011 and 24 percent above 2010. Planting is ongoing in California's San Joaquin and Imperial Valleys. Weather conditions have been good for planting. This report was approved on January 12, 2012. Acting Secretary of Agriculture Karis T. Gutter Agricultural Statistics Board Chairperson Hubert Hamer Winter Wheat Area Seeded - States and United States: 2010-2012 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Crop year : 2012 State :--------------------------------------------------: as a percent : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 : of 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 acres 1,000 acres 1,000 acres percent : Alabama .......: 150 220 220 100 Arizona .......: 9 7 8 114 Arkansas ......: 200 620 520 84 California ....: 660 670 660 99 Colorado ......: 2,450 2,300 2,400 104 Delaware ......: 50 80 90 113 Florida .......: 12 12 20 167 Georgia .......: 170 250 300 120 Idaho .........: 750 820 780 95 Illinois ......: 330 800 660 83 : Indiana .......: 250 430 370 86 Iowa ..........: 15 22 28 127 Kansas ........: 8,400 8,800 9,500 108 Kentucky ......: 390 540 600 111 Louisiana .....: 125 240 290 121 Maryland ......: 180 260 290 112 Michigan ......: 530 700 570 81 Minnesota .....: 65 30 50 167 Mississippi ...: 125 360 500 139 Missouri ......: 370 790 770 97 : Montana .......: 2,050 2,250 2,200 98 Nebraska ......: 1,600 1,520 1,400 92 Nevada ........: 19 15 19 127 New Jersey ....: 28 35 28 80 New Mexico ....: 470 435 460 106 New York ......: 110 120 100 83 North Carolina : 500 700 800 114 North Dakota ..: 330 400 700 175 Ohio ..........: 780 880 580 66 Oklahoma ......: 5,300 5,100 5,500 108 : Oregon ........: 820 830 810 98 Pennsylvania ..: 165 185 165 89 South Carolina : 145 190 220 116 South Dakota ..: 1,350 1,650 1,350 82 Tennessee .....: 260 420 450 107 Texas .........: 5,700 5,300 5,900 111 Utah ..........: 135 130 145 112 Virginia ......: 180 270 340 126 Washington ....: 1,750 1,760 1,720 98 West Virginia .: 7 10 9 90 Wisconsin .....: 240 345 265 77 Wyoming .......: 165 150 160 107 : United States .: 37,335 40,646 41,947 103 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Durum Wheat Area Seeded - States and United States: 2010-2012 [Blank cells indicate estimation period has not begun] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Crop year : 2012 State :--------------------------------------------------: as a percent : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 1/ : of 2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 acres 1,000 acres 1,000 acres percent : Arizona ......: 80 80 90 113 California ...: 105 120 140 117 Idaho ........: 20 11 Montana ......: 540 400 North Dakota .: 1,800 750 South Dakota .: 15 8 : United States : 2,560 1,369 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Indicated 2012 area seeded for all six States and the United States will be published in "Prospective Plantings" released March 2012. Statistical Methodology Survey procedures: The estimates in this report are based primarily on surveys conducted the first two weeks of December. The December Agricultural Survey is a probability survey that includes a sample of over 83,500 farm operators selected from a list of producers that ensures all operations in the United States have a chance to be selected. These operators were contacted by mail, internet, telephone, or personal interview to obtain information on crop acreage, yield, and production for the 2011 crop year and winter wheat and Durum wheat seedings for the 2012 crop year. Estimating procedures: National, Regional, State, and grower reported data were reviewed for reasonableness and consistency with historical estimates. Each State Office submits their analysis of the current situation to the Agricultural Statistics Board (ASB). Survey data are compiled to the National level and are reviewed at this level independently of each State's review. Estimates were based on survey data and the historical relationship of official estimates to survey data. Revision policy: These estimates will not be revised; instead, new forecasts will be made throughout the growing season. End-of-season estimates are made after harvest and published in the Small Grains Annual Summary report at the end of September. Reliability: The survey used to make acreage estimates is subject to sampling and non-sampling type errors that are common to all surveys. The survey indications are subject to sampling variability because not all operations with winter wheat are included in the sample. This variability, as measured by the relative standard error at the National level, is approximately 1.0 percent for winter wheat. This means that chances are approximately 95 out of 100 that survey estimates for acres will be within plus or minus 2.0 percent for winter wheat. Survey indications are also subject to non-sampling errors such as omission, duplication, imputation for missing data, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. These errors cannot be measured directly, but they are minimized through rigid quality controls in the data collection process and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity statisticians in the Crops Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@nass.usda.gov Lance Honig, Chief, Crops Branch........................... (202) 720-2127 Jacqueline Moore, Head, Field Crops Section................ (202) 720-2127 Suzanne Avilla - Peanuts, Rice........................ (202) 720-7688 Bryan Durham - Oats, Rye, Wheat....................... (202) 720-8068 Steve Maliszewski - Cotton, Cotton Ginnings, Sorghum.. (202) 720-5944 Anthony Prillaman - Corn, Flaxseed, Proso Millet...... (202) 720-9526 Julie Schmidt - Crop Weather, Barley, Hay............. (202) 720-7621 Travis Thorson - Soybeans, Sunflower, Other Oilseeds.. (202) 720-7369 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. To set-up this free subscription, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov and in the "Receive NASS Updates" box under "Receive reports by Email," click on "National" or "State" to select the reports you would like to receive. Printed reports may be purchased from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) by calling toll-free (800) 999-6779, or (703) 605-6220 if calling from outside the United States or Canada. 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