Lowest wheat harvest in 56 years

WASHINGTON — U.S. farmers in 2026 harvested the smallest all wheat crop since 1970, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s small grains summary Sept. 30.

All wheat domestic production for 2026 totaled 1.534 billion bushels, 23% lower than the revised 2025 total of 1.989 billion bushels.

Area harvested for grain totaled 31.9 million acres, a 15% decline from last year.

The average all wheat yield for the nation was 48.1 bushels per acre, down 5.2 bushels from the previous year.

Winter wheat production for 2026 totaled 1.02 billion bushels, a 27% drop from the revised 2025 total of 1.41 billion bushels. The area harvested for grain of 20.9 million acres is 18% lower than last year and a record low for the nation.

The winter wheat national average yield of 48.8 bushels per acre is 6.1 bushels below 2025.

Of the total 2026 production, 466 million bushels were hard red winter wheat, 42% less than the revised 2025 total, while soft red winter production totaled 294 million bushels, down 17% from last year.

Hard white winter production was estimated at 5.28 million bushels, 63% lower than 2025, and soft white winter came in at 254 million bushels, up 10% from last year.

Historic Perspective

In 1970, U.S. farmers harvested 43.564 million all wheat acres that averaged 31 bushels per acre, for a total production of just under 1.352 billion bushels.

All wheat production increased to nearly 1.619 billion in 1971, averaging 33.9 bushels per acre across 47.685 million harvested acres.

‘I’ States

Indiana had a record low winter wheat harvested area of 230,000 acres, 10,000 less than 2025 and 2024, from a planted area of 295,000 acres. The state’s 85 bushels per acre average yield, 4 below last year, resulting in a total production of 19.55 million bushels after hauling in 21.36 million a year ago.

Illinois winter wheat growers planted 700,000 acres and harvested 650,000, 50,000 less than in 2025. The Prairie State averaged 87 bushels per acre, a bushel less than last year, for a total production of 56.55 million bushels, about 5 million lower than a year ago.

Key States

Much of Kansas, the nation’s top wheat producer, experienced limited spring rainfall and the drought stress continued through the growing season, knocking the average yield down to 34 bushels per acre, a 17-bushel drop from 2025.

Kansas produced 200.6 million bushels of wheat after harvesting 346.8 million last year. The planted area was 6.7 million acres with a harvested area of 5.9 million. The 2025 planted and harvested area in Kansas was 7.3 million and 6.8 million, respectively.