overview
The United States is a major wheat producing country, with output
typically exceeded only by China, the European Union, and, sometimes,
India. In 2002, wheat ranked third among U.S. field crops in both
planted acreage and gross farm receipts, behind corn and soybeans.
Presently, almost half of the U.S. wheat crop is exported.
The U.S. wheat sector enters the 21st century facing many challenges,
despite a strong domestic market for wheat products. U.S. wheat
harvested area has dropped off 28 million acres, or nearly one-third
from its peak in 1981, because of declining returns compared to
other crops and alternative options under government programs. Despite
rising global wheat trade, U.S. share of the world market has eroded
in the past two decades.
contents
features
Black Sea Grain Exports:
Will They Be Moderate or Large? examines the prospects for grain
exports (mostly wheat) by the transition economies of Central and
Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States that export through
the Black Sea, the largest being Russia and Ukraine. If productivity
growth in the region is high, annual grain exports by Black Sea
countries could rise to 30-40 million metric tons.
USDA Wheat Baseline,
2004-13 provides background on supply and demand trends
for wheat, underlying the baseline projections in USDA
Agricultural Baseline Projections to 2013, and summarizes key
results for the U.S. wheat sector.
recommended readings
Wheat Situation
and Outlook Yearbook provides a summary of the market situation
and outlook for wheat.
China's Wheat Economy:
Current Trends and Prospects for Imports provides an overview
of wheat production and consumption trends in China, including factors
that contributed to slumping imports in recent years. It projects
that China will regain its status as a net wheat importer, with
imports rising sharply in the next year or two, but falling back
to modest levels after that.
Characteristics and Production
Costs of U.S. Wheat Farms reports that the average cost of producing
a bushel of wheat in 1998 was $3.97, ranging from about $1.25 to
more than $6 per bushel. Regional differences in production practices
and growing conditions were major influences on production costs
and yields among wheat producers.
See all recommended readings...
recommended data products
Monthly tables from Wheat Outlook
contain the latest data on supply and disappearance, monthly food-use
estimates, prices, exports, and imports.
Wheat yearbook tables include historical data covering domestic
and foreign wheat production, trade, use, and prices by class of
wheat.
Food Use and Trade
tables include total wheat and durum food use and trade data by
month and quarter, back to the 1990/91 crop market year. Files are
in Excel (.xls) format.
Cost and returns data for domestic
production is available at regional and national levels, back
to 1975.
Foreign Agricultural Trade of the United
States (FATUS) provides U.S. agricultural exports and imports,
volume and value, by country, by commodity, and by calendar year,
fiscal year, and month, for varying periods, such as 1935 to the
present or 1989 to the present. Updated monthly or annually.
Production, Supply, and
Distribution (PS&D) contains official USDA data on production,
supply, and distribution of agricultural commodities for the United
States and major importing and exporting countries. The database
provides projections for the coming year and historical data for
more than 200 countries and major crop, livestock, fishery, and
forest products.
WTO Agricultural Trade Policy Commitments Database
contains data on implementation of trade policy commitments by WTO
member countries. Data on domestic support, export subsidies, and
tariffs are organized for comparison across countries. This queriable
database offers various options for viewing and downloading data.
recent research developments
A workshop, Understanding Demand
Shifts for Grain-Based Foods, was held on September 28, 2004,
at the University of Minnesota's Food Industry Center to bring together
individuals from government, the food industry, and universities
who have experience analyzing demand for grain-based food products,
as well as knowledge of data sources for assessing and monitoring
consumption trends. For more information, contact Jean
Buzby.
newsletter
Wheat Outlook
provides updates 11 months each year on current market developments
affecting the wheat sector.
related briefing rooms
Agricultural baseline projections
U.S. agricultural trade
Farm and commodity policy
Farm income and costs
World Trade Organization (WTO)
related links
Additional data and information on wheat are available from other
USDA Agencies and the Department of Commerce.
See all related links...
maps and images gallery
View the 1998 location of wheat planted
area for each of the five classes of wheat.
for more information, contact:
Gary Vocke or Edward
Allen
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: October
27, 2004
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