Small grains sector sees diverse results in Wisconsin

By Blake Jackson

Winter wheat production in Wisconsin for 2024 is estimated at 18.0 million bushels, representing a 3 percent increase from 2023, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service in their Small Grains 2024 Summary.

Despite this growth, the planted area for winter wheat decreased by 5 percent, totaling 265,000 acres.

The harvested area for grain, at 220,000 acres, saw a 4 percent decline from the previous year. However, yield per acre improved significantly, reaching 82.0 bushels per acre an increase of 6.0 bushels from 2023.

In contrast, oat production saw a 6 percent decline from last year, with an estimated total of 4.29 million bushels.

Although the planted area for oats increased by 4 percent to 140,000 acres, the harvested area for grain decreased by 15 percent, falling to 64,000 acres.

Despite the lower harvested area, oat yield per acre improved, with a rise of 6.0 bushels from the previous year to reach 67.0 bushels per acre.

Barley production in Wisconsin experienced a remarkable surge, with a 114 percent increase from last year, reaching 270,000 bushels.

The planted area for barley expanded by 25 percent to 15,000 acres, while the harvested area saw an even larger jump of 200 percent, totaling 6,000 acres.

However, the yield per acre for barley decreased, dropping by 18.0 bushels from the previous year to 45.0 bushels per acre.

Rye production also saw significant growth, with an estimated 1.17 million bushels, a 90 percent increase from 2023.

The planted area for rye grew by 8 percent to 260,000 acres, while the harvested area doubled, reaching 30,000 acres.

Similar to barley, the yield for rye experienced a slight decline, decreasing by 2.0 bushels from last year to 39.0 bushels per acre.

Overall, Wisconsin's small grains sector displayed mixed results, with notable increases in production for some crops, while others faced yield challenges.

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