Wheat
 
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Jan. 12 estimated wheat stocks held in all positions in the United States on Dec. 1, 2017, at 1.87 billion bushels, down 205.8 million bushels, or 10%, from 2.079 billion bushels a year earlier. The USDA indicated of the Dec. 1 wheat supply, 393.18 million bushels was held on farms, down 31% from 571.28 million bushels a year earlier. Wheat stocks held on farms on Dec. 1, 2017, accounted for 21% of all stocks. The USDA indicated wheat disappearance in the second quarter of 2017-18, September-November 2017, totaled 392.531 million bushels, down 16%, from 465.67 million bushels in the same period in 2016.

The largest regional wheat inventory, accounting for 41% of the nation’s total, was held in the five hard red winter wheat states of the Southwest — Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Nebraska. Southwestern stocks on Dec. 1 totaled 769.456 million bushels, down 5% from a year earlier. Wheat stocks held on farms in the region totaled 39.6 million bushels, or 5% of all stocks. Wheat disappearance from the Southwest in the September-November quarter totaled 202.573 million bushels compared with 202.205 million bushels in 2016. Wheat disappearance in the first half of 2017-18 (June-November) was 394.803 million bushels, down 13% from the previous year.

The second-largest regional wheat inventory, accounting for 25% of the nation’s wheat supply, was held in the Upper Midwest states of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. Stocks there totaled 462.692 million bushels, down 25% from Dec. 1, 2016. Wheat stocks held on farms in the Upper Midwest were estimated at 286 million bushels, or 62%, of all Upper Midwest stocks. The region’s on-farm stocks accounted for 73% of the nation’s on-farm inventory. September-November wheat use was estimated at 78.551 million bushels, down 42% from second-quarter 2016-17 use, and June-November disappearance was 296.801 million bushels, down 28% from 2016.

Dec. 1 wheat stocks in the principal soft red winter wheat region of the Central states — Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan — totaled 234.125 million bushels, up 6% from a year earlier. Only 4% of the region’s stocks was held on farms. Wheat disappearance in September-November was 33.297 million bushels, down 7% from 2016, and June-November disappearance totaled 72.723 million bushels, down 6% from a year earlier.

Dec. 1 wheat stocks in the Pacific Northwest states of Idaho, Washington and Oregon totaled 216.954 million bushels, down 9% from 2016. About 16% of the region’s supply was held on farms. Wheat disappearance in the second quarter of 2017-18 totaled 46.465 million bushels, up 4% from September-November 2016, and June-November disappearance was 181.883 million bushels, up 31% from a year earlier.

Durum stocks held in all positions on Dec. 1 totaled 56.243 million bushels, down 23% from 2016. Farm stocks accounted for 55% of the total supply. September-November 2017 disappearance was estimated at 9.913 million bushels, down 48% from the same span in 2016, and June-November disappearance was estimated at 34.969 million bushels, down 41% from a year earlier.