Indiana winter wheat seeded area for 2024 is estimated at 425,000 acres, an increase of 5% from last year, according to Nathanial Warenski, state statistician with the Indiana Field Office of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Winter wheat planting progressed slightly behind the five-year average throughout much of the planting season due to wet conditions in October. Quick progress throughout the following month, however, allowed planting to wrap up on schedule by mid- to late-November.

The crop condition was rated 70% good to excellent as of Nov. 26, 2023, compared with 62% at the same time in 2022.

U.S. winter wheat planted area for harvest in 2024 is estimated at 34.4 million acres, down 6 percent from 2023 but up 3% from 2022.

Kansas and Texas, the two largest acreage states, are expected to be down 7% and 8%, respectively.

A record low planted area is expected in Michigan and Utah. Seeding of the 2024 acreage was underway in early-September and began the month 2% points behind to the 5-year average pace. Throughout much of the season, planting progressed on pace with the 5-year average and reached 81% complete by Nov. 12. Emergence was 2% points ahead of the 5-year average pace on Nov. 26.

Warenski also reported on Jan. 12, that Indiana corn stocks totaled 899 million bushels on Dec. 1, 2023, 7% higher than on Dec. 1, 2022. About 70 percent of the corn was stored on farms. The first quarter disappearance was 260 million bushels, compared with 232 million bushels a year earlier.

Soybean stocks on Dec. 1, 2023, were 248 million bushels. That was 11% lower than stocks a year earlier. The first quarter indicated disappearance was 104 million bushels, compared with 80.9 million bushels the same period a year ago. Farm stocks of soybeans were 145 million bushels.

Also on Dec. 1, 2023, wheat stocks were 28.6 million bushels, 53% higher than the same time in 2022. Second quarter indicated disappearance was 6.40 million bushels, compared with 2.98 million bushels last year. About 94% of wheat stocks were in commercial storage.

Nationally, corn stored in all positions on Dec. 1, 2023 totaled 12.2 billion bushels, up 13% from Dec. 1, 2022. Of the total stocks, 7.83 billion bushels are stored on farms, up 16% from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 4.34 billion bushels, are up 7% from a year ago.

The September to November 2023 indicated disappearance is 4.53 billion bushels, compared with 4.21 billion bushels during the same period last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions on Dec. 1, 2023 totaled 3.00 billion bushels, down 1% from Dec. 1, 2022. Soybean stocks stored on farms totaled 1.45 billion bushels, down 2% from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 1.55 billion bushels, are up slightly from December 2022.

Indicated disappearance for September to November 2023 totaled 1.43 billion bushels, down 6% from the same period a year earlier. All wheat stored in all positions on Dec. 1, 2023 totaled 1.41 billion bushels, up 8% from a year ago.

On-farm stocks are estimated at 395 million bushels, up 9 percent from last December. Off-farm stocks, at 1.02 billion bushels, are up 7% from a year ago. The September tp November 2023 indicated disappearance is 357 million bushels, 23% below the same period a year earlier.