Following are highlights from the Small Grains Summary:
All wheat production totaled 2.01 billion bushels in 2011, down 9 percent from 2010. Grain area totaled 45.7 million acres, down 4 percent from the previous year. The United States yield is 43.9 bushels per acre, down 2.4 bushels from the previous year’s record high but still ranks as the fifth highest on record. The levels of production and changes from 2010 by type are winter wheat, 1.49 billion bushels, up 1 percent; other spring wheat, 462 million bushels, down 25 percent; Durum wheat, 51.9 million bushels, down 51 percent. Oat production is estimated at a record low 54.0 million bushels, down 33 percent from 2010. Yield is estimated at 57.5 bushels per acre, down 6.8 bushels from the previous year. Harvested area, at 940 thousand acres, is 26 percent below last year. This is the smallest acreage harvested for grain on record, surpassing the previous record low set in 2010. Barley production is estimated at 155 million bushels, down 14 percent from 2010, and the lowest since 1936. Average yield per acre, at 69.2 bushels, is down 3.9 bushels from the previous year. Producers seeded 2.56 million acres in 2011, down 11 percent from last year. This is the lowest planted acreage on record. Harvested area, at 2.24 million acres, is down 9 percent from 2010, and the lowest level since 1881.
