Kentucky Wheat Production Forecast Showing Increase

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its July Crop Production report today, based on the Agricultural Yield survey conducted at the beginning of month. The report includes information on Kentucky’s winter wheat production forecast which shows an increase of 24 percent from last year.

“Kentucky’s winter wheat yield forecast is unchanged from last month, at 77 bushels per acre,” said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. “Harvested is virtually complete, finishing about a week behind normal. Yields are strong, while quality reports vary.”

Kentucky farmers expect to harvest 24.6 million bushels of winter wheat during 2019. The forecast was based on crop conditions as of July 1 and decreased 6 percent from the June forecast. Growers expect a yield of 77.0 bushels per acre, up 11.0 bushel from 2018 and unchanged from June. Farmers seeded 460,000 acres last fall with 320,000 acres to be harvested for grain. Acres for other uses totaled 140,000 acres and will be used as a cover crop for tobacco or cut as silage or hay.

Winter wheat production for the Nation was forecast at 1.29 billion bushels, up 1 percent from the June 1 forecast and up 9 percent from 2018. Based on July 1 conditions, the United States yield is forecast at 51.8 bushel per acre, up 1.3 bushels from last month and up 3.9 bushels from last year. The expected area to be harvested for grain or seed totals 24.9 million acres, up 1 percent from last year.