New Report Shows Wheat Crop Down

(AP) – A newly released government forecast has pegged the size of the Kansas wheat crop at 340 million bushels, down 4 percent from a year ago.

The Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service issued the new estimate Wednesday in its monthly crop production report. The updated projection compares to 356 million bushels cut a year ago.

The June forecast is closely watched because it offers a clearer snapshot of the winter wheat crop coming just days before combines begin to roll across southern Kansas.

Kansas has 8.5 million acres in wheat this season with expected yields at 40 bushels per acre.

Nationwide, the agency is projecting a winter wheat crop of 1.49 billion bushels. That is down 20 percent from last year amid a drought in Texas and a late freeze in Oklahoma.