MARCO ISLAND, FLA. — A panel of soft wheat millers and merchandisers convened at the conclusion of the North American Millers’ Association 2024 spring conference forecast US 2024 soft red winter wheat production at 375,143,000 bus, down 74,622,000 bus, or 16.5%, from 449,017,000 bus in 2023.

If the forecast is realized, soft red winter wheat production in 2024 would be the second largest since 451,531,000 bus were produced in 2014. The recent record high production was 618,067,000 bus in 2008. The all-time record-high soft red winter wheat production was 678,017,000 bus produced in 1981.

Production was forecast to be down from 2023 in the Central states, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic states and the Southeast. Decreases in those states more than offset production gains forecast for the minor soft red winter wheat production states of Oklahoma and Texas.

In the Central states of Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, projected production of 100,832,000 bus would be down 24% from 132,482,000 in 2023.

In the Midwest states of Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, the forecast for production at 154,132,000 bus would be down 11% from 181,540,000 bus in 2023.

In the Southeast, comprising Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, the production projection of 52,950,000 bus would be down 18% from 64,530,000 bus in 2023.

In the Mid-Atlantic states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, the forecast production of 42,800,000 bus would be down 18% from 52,067,000 bus last year.

In the South/Delta/Southwest region, including Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, production projected at 24,429,000 bus would mark an increase of 28% from 19,146,000 bus in 2023.