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U.S. Winter Wheat Area Planted Estimated Higher

U.S winter wheat area planted is expected to increase by 2 percent to 34.1 million acres in the first forecast for the 2025/26 marketing year in the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Winter Wheat and Canola Seedings report. This increase is opposite the longer-term trend observed as winter wheat acreage has gradually declined in favor of corn and soybeans. In the last few seasons, there has been a small resurgence of winter wheat planted area after the historic low reached in 2020/21. Wheat area rebounded for the 2023/24 marketing year as high prices in late 2022 encouraged expanded wheat seedings, but lower prices in the following year contributed to a return to lower planted area for 2024/25. USDA, NASS estimates that acreage for Hard Red Winter, Soft Red Winter, and White Winter are all up slightly for 2025/26.