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)

State

Crop year 2012

as a percent

of 2011 2010 2011 2012

(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)

State

Crop year 2012

as a percent

of 2011 2010 2011 2012

(hectares) (hectares) (hectares) (percent)

Winter wheat .................. 15,109,100 16,449,030 16,975,530 103
2 Winter Wheat Seedings (January 2012)

USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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 Seedings (January 2012) 3

USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Winter Wheat Area Seeded – States and United States: 2010-2012

State

Crop year 2012

as a percent

of 2011 2010 2011 2012

(1,000 acres) (1,000 acres) (1,000 acres) (percent)

Alabama .........................

Arizona ...........................

Arkansas ........................

California ........................

Colorado .........................

Delaware ........................

Florida ............................

Georgia ..........................

Idaho ..............................

Illinois .............................

Indiana ...........................

Iowa ................................

Kansas ...........................

Kentucky .........................

Louisiana ........................

Maryland .........................

Michigan .........................

Minnesota .......................

Mississippi ......................

Missouri ..........................

Montana .........................

Nebraska ........................

Nevada ...........................

New Jersey .....................

New Mexico ....................

New York ........................

North Carolina ................

North Dakota ..................

Ohio ................................

Oklahoma .......................

Oregon ...........................

Pennsylvania ..................

South Carolina ................

South Dakota ..................

Tennessee ......................

Texas .............................

Utah ................................

Virginia ...........................

Washington ....................

West Virginia ..................

Wisconsin .......................

Wyoming ........................

United States ..................

150

9

200

660

2,450

50

12

170

750

330

250

15

8,400

390

125

180

530

65

125

370

2,050

1,600

19

28

470

110

500

330

780

5,300

820

165

145

1,350

260

5,700

135

180

1,750

7

240

165

37,335

220

7

620

670

2,300

80

12

250

820

800

430

22

8,800

540

240

260

700

30

360

790

2,250

1,520

15

35

435

120

700

400

880

5,100

830

185

190

1,650

420

5,300

130

270

1,760

10

345

150

40,646

220

8

520

660

2,400

90

20

300

780

660

370

28

9,500

600

290

290

570

50

500

770

2,200

1,400

19

28

460

100

800

700

580

5,500

810

165

220

1,350

450

5,900

145

340

1,720

9

265

160

41,947

100

114

84

99

104

113

167

120

95

83

86

127

108

111

121

112

81

167

139

97

98

92

127

80

106

83

114

175

66

108

98

89

116

82

107

111

112

126

98

90

77

107

103
4 Winter Wheat Seedings (January 2012)

USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Durum Wheat Area Seeded – States and United States: 2010-2012

[Blank cells indicate estimation period has not begun]

State

Crop year 2012

as a percent

of 2011 2010 2011 2012 1

(1,000 acres) (1,000 acres) (1,000 acres) (percent)

Arizona .........................

California ......................

Idaho .............................

Montana ........................

North Dakota .................

South Dakota ................

United States ................

80

105

20

540

1,800

15

2,560

80

120

11

400

750

8

1,369

90

140

113

117

1

Indicated 2012 area seeded for all six States and the United States will be published in Prospective Plantings released March 2012.
Winter Wheat Seedings (January 2012) 5

USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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.
6 Winter Wheat Seedings (January 2012)

USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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
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