Wheat, barley, corn production up

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported today that Virginia wheat producers averaged 71 bushels per acre, up from last year’s yield of 51 bushels per acre. Virginia wheat was grown on 270,000 acres, with 250,000 acres harvested for grain. Wheat production was 17,750,000 bushels, up almost 125 percent when compared to 2010. The figures were reported by the Virginia Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Oat production for the 2011 crop year was 195,000 bushels, up 11 percent from the previous year. Eleven thousand acres were dedicated to oats with three thousand acres harvested for grain, down 1,000 acres from 2010. Most oats are cut for hay or used as a cover crop.

Barley growers produced 6.16 million bushels of grain, up almost 92 percent from last year. Producers averaged 88 bushels per acre, up 21 bushels from 2010. Ninety thousand acres were planted in barley with 70,000 acres harvested for grain. Data for wheat, oats and barley were based from survey of producers conducted in early September. Barley is also used for a cover crop.

Nationwide, all wheat production was down nine percent from 2010. U.S. oat production is estimated at a record low 54 million bushels, down 33 percent from 2010. All U.S. barley production is estimated at 155 million bushels, down 14 percent from 2010, and the lowest since 1936.