MN Small Grain Production Up in 2022

Man Standing in a Wheat Field Holding Wheat Grain in His Cupped Hands Credit: Alpha Image Library

Spring wheat production in Minnesota was estimated at 73.8 million bushels, up 33 percent from 2021 according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Small Grains 2022 Summary. Planted area, at 1.25 million acres, was up 3 percent from last year. Spring wheat harvested area for grain was 1.21 million acres, up 4 percent from last year. Spring wheat yield, at 61.0 bushels per acre, was up 13.0 bushels per acre from last year.

All wheat production totaled 1.65 billion bushels in 2022, up less than 1 percent from the 2021 total of 1.65 billion bushels. Area harvested for grain totaled 35.5 million acres, down 4 percent from the previous year. The United States yield was estimated at 46.5 bushels per acre, up 2.2 bushels from the previous year.

The levels of production and changes from 2021 by type were: winter wheat, 1.10 billion bushels, down 14 percent; other spring wheat, 482 million bushels, up 46 percent; and Durum wheat, 64.0 million bushels, up 70 percent.

Oat production was estimated at 8.26 million bushels, up 88 percent from last year. Oats planted, at 200,000 acres, was up 11 percent from last year. Harvested area for grain was 140,000 acres, up 82 percent from the harvested acres in 2021. Oat yield, at 59.0 bushels per acre, was up 2.0 bushels per acre from last year.

Barley production, estimated at 3.96 million bushels, was up 112 percent from last year. Planted area, at 65,000 acres, was up 18 percent from 2021. Harvested area for grain, at 55,000 acres, was up 62 percent from last year. The Minnesota barley yield was 72.0 bushels per acre, up 17.0 bushels per acre from last year. Rye production in Minnesota was estimated at 1,456,000 bushels, up 201 percent from last year. Planted area, at 70,000 acres, was up 23 percent from 2021. Harvested area for grain, at 28,000 acres, was up 155 percent from last year.

Oat production was estimated at 57.7 million bushels, up 45 percent from 2021. Yield was estimated at 64.8 bushels per acre, up 3.5 bushels from the previous year. Harvested area, at 890 thousand acres, was 37 percent above last year. Barley production was estimated at 174 million bushels, up 45 percent from the revised 2021 total of 120 million bushels. The average yield, at 71.7 bushels per acre, was up 11.4 bushel from the previous year. Producers seeded 2.95 million acres in 2022, up 9 percent from 2021. Harvested area, at 2.43 million acres, was up 22 percent from 2021. The Minnesota rye yield was a record 52.0 bushels per acre, up 8.0 bushels per acre from last year. Rye production for 2022 was estimated at 12.3 million bushels, up 25 percent from the 2021 total. Harvested area totaled 341,000 acres, up 47,000 acres from 2021. The United States yield was a record high, at 36.1 bushels per acre, and was up 2.7 bushels from the previous year. Planted area totaled 2.18 million acres, up 2 percent from 2021, and was the highest since 1988. Much of those acres were used as cover crop.