Michigan winter wheat growers remain optimistic about this year’s crop, as overall expected yield remained unchanged from last month at 85 bushels per acre, according to Marlo Johnson, director of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Great Lakes Regional Office.

Michigan producers expect to harvest 400,000 acres, down 170,000 acres from last year. Wheat production in the state is expected to be 34 million bushels.

The expected yield forecast of 85 bushels would be 4 bushels below last year’s record high. Wheat condition improved from last month, despite rainy conditions during the second half of May. As of June 5, winter wheat was 59% headed, and the crop condition was rated at 2% very poor, 7% poor, 17% fair, 60% good and 14% excellent.

Nationally, Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.25 billion bushels, up less than 1% from the May 1 forecast but down 25% from 2016. Based on June 1 conditions, the U.S. yield is forecast at 48.9 bushels per acre, up 0.1 bushel from last month, but down 6.4 bushels from last year. If realized, this will be the second-highest yield on record for the United States, behind only 2016. 

Source: USDA NASS