WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.  —  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in its May Crop Production report, based on a survey of wheat producers, forecast winter wheat production in the United States in 2019 at 1,268,461,000 bushels, up 84,522,000 bushels, or 7%, from 1,183,939,000 bushels in 2018 and compared with 1,270,282,000 bushels in 2017. The recent five-year average winter wheat outturn was 1.376 billion bus.

Hard red winter wheat production in 2019 was forecast at 780,375,000 bushels, up 18% from 662,249,000 bushels in 2018. It would be the largest hard red winter wheat crop since 1,082,000 bus in 2016 and compare with the recent five-year average outturn at 813 million bushels.

The USDA forecast soft red winter wheat production at 264,565,000 bushels, down 7% from 285,558,000 bushels in 2018 and compared with 348 million bushels as the recent five-year average outturn. It would be the smallest soft red winter wheat crop since 219 million bushels in 2010.

The USDA forecast soft white winter wheat production in 2019 at 201,261,000 bushels, down 7% from 216,785,000 bus in 2018. The recent five-year average soft white winter wheat outturn was 200 million bushels.

Hard white winter wheat production was forecast at 22, 260,000 bushels, up 15% from 19,347,000 bushels in 2018.