Report Forecasts Bountiful Winter Wheat Crop

The government is expecting a bountiful winter wheat harvest this year.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service forecast on Tuesday U.S. winter wheat production to be up 4 percent from a year ago, with the nation’s farmers expected to bring in 1.43 billion bushels.

The agency says the expected yield of 47.8 bushels per acre would equal the record yield set in 1999, if realized.

Hard red winter wheat, the type commonly grown in Kansas, is also forecast to be up 4 percent nationwide at 863 million bushels.

Kansas, the nation’s largest producer, is forecast to harvest 352.6 million bushels this year. Average yields in the state are expected to be 43 bushels per acre from 8.2 million acres.

Kansas farmers last year harvested 321.9 million bushels.