crop production

Release:
December 22, 1972
3:00 P. M. EST

(— HIGHLIGHTS OF WINTER WHEAT REPORT AS OF DECEMBER I, 1972 >

Seeding of winter wheat in the fall of 1972 for harvest in 1973, at 42.8
million acres, was } percent (0.5 million acres) above the previous year and 12
percent (4.7 million acres) above 2 years earlier.

Prospective 1973 winter wheat production, at 1,278 million bushels, is record
high and & percent (92 million bushels) above the 1972 crop.

WINTER WHEAT
A Crop : Crop : Crop
ITEM : of : of : of

t 1971 A 1972 : 1973 V/

Acreage seeded for all purposes :
(1,900 acres) : 38,060 42,247 42,793

Yield per seeded acre (bu.) : 30.1 28.1 29.9
Production (1,000 bu.) 21,144,164 1,185,890 1,277,848
Seedings as % of previous year : 101.2 111.0 101.3
Harvested for grain (percent) : 85.0 82.6 88.1

1/ Indicated December 1, 1972.

CROP REPORTING BOARD:
APPROVED: B. M,. Graham, Chairman,

M. L. Koehn, Secretary,
. W. Kirkbride, J. L. Olson,
Lavell 3 . J. Gneiting, G, D. Hasenmyer

Ohlendorf, R. R. Sims.

oe

m
rc

ACTING SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
\. STATISTICR REPORTING SERVICE CROP REPORTING BOARD

CrPr 2-3 (12-72) WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250 DD



Fall seeding of winter wheat in 1972 for harvest in 1973 at 42.8 million acres is 1 per-
cent more than the 1972 crop and 12 percent above the 1971 seeding. Most Great Plains and
Western States seeded more acres than the previous year, but seedings were generally down in the
eastern half of the country, Wet fields and late harvest of other crops delayed seeding in
eastern areas, and some growers abandoned plans for further seeding of winter wheat.

The 1973 prospective winter wheat crop, based on conditions as of December 1, is a record
1,278 million bushels. This would be 8 percent more than the 1972 crop and 12 percent more than
in 1971. Condition of the crop on December 1 was mostly good to excellent. The previous record
high output of winter wheat was in 1968 when 1,218 million bushels were produced. In the past
decade, changes from the December 1 forecast to the final estimate have averaged 59 million
bushels, ranging from 2 million to 114 million bushels. In those 10 years, the December 1 fore-
cast was above the final estimate five times with an average of 67 million and below five times
with an average of 52 million bushels.

Yield per seeded acre at 29.9 bushels is 1,8 bushels above the 1972 crop but 0.2 bushel
below 1971--the record high. December 1 conditions indicate that about 88 percent of the seeded
acreage will be harvested for grain. If realized, this would be the highest percentage since the
1966 crop when 90.3 percent was harvested, compared with 82.6 in 1972 and 85.0 in 1971.

Seeding began in Kansas in early September with generally favorable soil moisture over the
State. Progress was rapid in late September and two-thirds of the crop was in the ground by the
end of the month compared with the normal of one-half seeded. October and early November rains
brought uniform.stands but cool temperatures slowed growth. Condition of wheat on December 1
was mostly good to excellent reflecting good stands, adequate rooting and ground cover with ample
soil moisture in most areas.

Nebraska growers virtually completed seeding by early October, somewhat ahead of schedule.
Seedbeds were in generally good condition but somewhat dry in the southeast. By December 1,
wheat stands and color of plants were generally good. However, late seeded wheat in the south~
east has spotty stands and needed moisture.

Seeding of the Colorado crop was mostly complete by the middle of October with generally
favorable soil moisture supplies. The exception was the southwestern area where prolonged wet
weather prevented some planting. Stands were generally good and much of the crop has been pro-
tected by snow since late October.

Oklahoma growers had over nine-tenths of the State's acreage seeded by mid-October but dry
soil delayed completion, mostly in the Southwest.. Late October rains provided needed moisture
but unusually heavy precipitation during November kept fields too wet to finish seeding. Some
intended acreage had not yet been planted in mid-December.

Seeding of wheat in Texas was 96 percent complete on December 1 -- about 2 weeks behind
last year's schedule. Cold, wet weather delayed further seeding and slowed growth of early
stands, However, prospects were generally good because of ample moisture supplies.

Montana winter wheat was seeded slightly ahead of normal. Germination and growth were
generally good. The crop was mostly under a blanket of snow in early December when temperatures
were extremely low.

Winter wheat was in good condition in the Pacific Northwest. Seeding was virtually com-
pleted during November in Washington and during October in Idaho.

An unusually wet fall held seedings jn Missouri and the eastern Corn Belt States below
intentions, especially in Ohio. Rains delayed harvest of row crops in the entire area and con-
tributed to the delay in seeding.

The situation in the South Atlantic and South Centrai States was similar to that in the
eastern Corn Belt -- seeded acreage was erally smaller than a year earlier. However,
November rains were welcome in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida where soil moisture
shortages existed earlier.

WINTER WHEAT, December 1972 2 Crop Reporting Board, SRS, USDA


Winter Wheat

Acreage seeded I/

Production

TUrep OF 1575: crop

: Fy 1
State : rep ae percent : oF crop over

: 4g : of crop of :

pl i tone 197! 1972 1973 2/

: Percent 1,000 bushels
N.Y. 2 19 109 4,218 5,180 6,048
Ne J. : 38 14 1,457 1,330 1,650
Pa. : 270 102 9,396 8,608 10,360
Ohio + 967 66 41,536 46,305 25,272
Ind. > 736 83 31,924 39,648 25,900
iin 1 1,045 98 46,000 54,000 50,840
Mich. > 513 97 17,820 21,400 20,475
MIs. 1 23 72 924 640 805
Minn, 2 33 29 38 131 868 780 1,026
Jowa : 40 37 33 89 1,386 1,238 1,023
Ho. : 900 1,075 925 86 31,000 36,075 29,600
N. Dak, z 72 73 80 110 1,800 2,178 2,240
S. Dak. 2 641 Bar 793 98 15,908 25,380 20,618
Nebr. : 2,539 2,793 2,877 103 102,228 94,572 103,572
Kans. : 9,593 10,300 10,600 103 312,605 314,900 339,200
Del. : 27 27 29 107 1,075 825 986
Md. 2 8 123 125 102 4,320 3,850 4,125
Va. 2 236 250 235 94 9,020 8,066 8,695
W. Va. : 16 18 18 100 455 490 486
N.C. > 290 280 290 104 10,535 6,975 10,730
S.C. 2 134 155 120 7 4,788 2,720 3,960
Ga. 235 225 165 73 7,605 2,800 4455
Fla. : 77 70 55 79 1,800 630 1,375
ky. : ut 301 241 80 7,200 7,020 6,507
Tenn. 282 296 252 85 842k 7,680 7,308
Ala. 164 161 16t 100 3,480 2,052 3,220
Miss. 149 189 180 95 3,625 4,960 4,860
ark, : 307 361 340 3k 8,096 10,952 10,200
La. 2 75 75 60 80 805 690 720
Okla. 5,050 5,700 6,000 105 72,000 89,700 126,000
Texas : 3,512 4,050 4,400 109 31,416 44,000 70,400
Mont. 11,913 2,143 2,170 101 54,810 48,330 60,760
Idaho. : 809 BAT 925 110 37,842 34,740 40,700
Wyo. 2 225 255 250 98 6,732 7,700 8,000
Colo. + 2,344 2,449 2,430 99 59,080 51,144 55,890
N. Mex. 1 BAT 378 390 103 3,840 4,335 5,850
Ariz. 2 189 189 208 0 11,764 11,390 13,104
Utah 2 196 218 235 108 5,365 5,433 6,345
Nev. : 8 8 3 113 525 525 603
Wash. : 2,251 2,621 2,730 104 108,250 118,275 117,390
Oreg. + BN 863 990 VS 32,016 35,190 38,610
Calif. 1 600 552 635 V5 26,226 23,184 27,940
U.S. 38,060 42,247 42,793 101.3 1,144,164 1,185,890 1,277,848

1/ Total acreage seeded for all purposes. 2/

WINTER WHEAT, December 1972

tndtcated December 1, 1972.

Crop Reporting Board, SRS, USDA