USDA estimates South Dakota winter wheat crop down nearly 10% from last year

Based on May 1 conditions, South Dakota’s 2023 winter wheat crop is forecast at 34.5 million bushels, down 9% from last year’s crop, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Average yield is forecast at 46 bushels per acre, down 6 bushels from last year. Acreage to be harvested for grain is estimated at 750,000 acres, up 20,000 acres from last year. This would be 81% of the planted acres, below last year’s 88% harvested.

May 1, 2023, hay stocks of 1.25 million tons are up 15% from last year.