Farm Director KC Sheperd and USDA-NASS’s Troy Marshall discussed the final figures for the small grains year following the latest quarterly reports from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The data, which includes quarterly grain stocks and agricultural production reports, highlights significant yield boosts in Texas and Kansas, compensating for the overall lower harvested acreage, according to Marshall.
Final Wheat Production Numbers
Despite a slightly better weather year, many areas saw a decrease in harvested acres, largely due to rain delays during harvest and a lack of adequate rain during the earlier growing season.
Oklahoma
- Yield: Remained steady at 38 bushels to the acre.
- Production: Overall winter wheat production saw a small decline, dropping from 110 million bushels (2024) to 106 million bushels (2025).
- Harvested Acres: The decrease in production was primarily due to a decline in harvested acres, which went from 2.9 million to 2.8 million acres.
Texas
- Production: Overall wheat production increased by 5.6% year-over-year, moving from 80.6 million bushels to 85.1 million bushels.
- Yield: A significant yield boost made up for reduced acreage. Yields jumped from 31 bushels per acre (2024) to 37 bushels per acre (2025).
- Harvested Acres: Harvested acres saw an 11.5% reduction, dropping from 2.6 million to 2.3 million acres.
Kansas
- Production: Wheat production rose by 12.8%, from 307.5 million bushels (2024) to 346.8 million bushels (2025).
- Yield: Kansas saw a “significant increase in yield,” jumping from 43 bushels per acre to 51 bushels per acre.
- Harvested Acres: Harvested acres decreased by just under 5%.
Marshall noted that the latest report “puts that final stamp on what we saw here in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas,” confirming trends observed over previous months.
Small Grains and Harvest Impacts
The report also finalized numbers for other small grains, which also showed acreage and weather effects:
- Rye Production (Oklahoma): Saw a “pretty significant decrease” of just under 26% in production, mainly due to a 20% reduction in harvested acres. Yields decreased from 27 bushels to 25 bushels per acre.
- Oat Production (Texas): Experienced an 18.7% decrease in production despite a slight increase in yield (46 to 53 bushels per acre), which was mainly due to decreased harvested acres.
- Oat Production (Kansas): Production increased by 18.3%, attributed to a 34.6% increase in harvested acres (from 26,000 to 35,000 acres).
Marshall clarified the factor influencing these drops in harvested acreage, noting, “The weather impacts through the growing season, and then, of course, at the time of harvest as well,” caused farmers to not harvest some planted grain.
Quarterly Grain Stocks Show Significant Increase
The September grain stocks report captures new crop wheat stocks, both on-farm and off-farm, as of September 1. This new data confirms a substantial increase in stored wheat compared to the previous year.
“We definitely see that we have a lot more wheat out there in September than we did the previous year,” Marshall stated.
- Oklahoma: Saw a 16% increase year-over-year, rising from 130 million to 151.2 million bushels stored.
- Texas: Experienced a 25% increase year-over-year.
- Kansas: Saw a 22% increase year-over-year.
Marshall explained that the September report typically represents the peak number of wheat stocks, which are then expected to decrease throughout the rest of the year as producers sell the grain. The December report will offer a new look, as it will also include the new crop from fall row crops, such as corn, beans, and sorghum.
NATIONWIDE SMALL GRAINS SUMMARY
All-wheat production totaled 1.98 bb in 2025, up from the 2024 total of 1.97 bb. All wheat yield came in at 53.3 bushels per acre, up from 51.2 bpa in 2024.
All-wheat harvested acres came in at 37.2 million acres this year, compared to 38.5 million in 2024, or down 4% from one year ago.
All-winter wheat production was 1.4 bb in 2025, a 3% increase from 1.349 bb in 2024.
Hard red winter wheat production came in at 804.4 mb in 2025, compared to 773.4 mb last year. Soft red winter wheat production was 352.9 million bushels this year, an increase from 344.5 million bushels the previous year.
White winter wheat production came in at 244.0 mb in 2025, an increase from 235.0 mb last year.
Spring wheat production was reported at 497.0 mb, compared to 544 mb in 2024.
Durum wheat production was 86.2 mb in 2025, compared to 80.1 mb last year.
You can also view the full reports — Grain Stocks and Small Grains Summary:
CORN STOCKS
Old-crop corn stocks in all positions on Sept. 1, 2025, totaled 1.53 billion bushels (bb), down 13% from a year ago.
The stocks came in above the high end of pre-report estimates.
On-farm stocks were projected at 634 million bushels (mb), down 18% from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 888 mb, are down 10% from last year.
The June-August 2025 indicated usage, or disappearance, is 3.11 bb, compared with 3.23 bb from the same period in 2024.
Based on the end-of-year marketing estimates, increased NASS 2024-25 corn production by 25 mb. Acreage planted also is increased by 315,000 acres, and harvested acres for grain was increased to 83 million acres.
SOYBEAN STOCKS
Soybean stocks as of Sept. 1 totaled 316 mb, which is 8% less than last year. USDA says 91.5 mb are stored on farms, down 18% from last year, while 225 mb are in commercial storage. That’s 3% less than in 2024. Usage, which USDA calls indicated disappearance, from June through August was 691 mb, which is 10% higher than the previous year.
USDA revised 2024 production based on its stocks estimates, usage data for exports and crush and farm program administrative data. Production was revised upward by 7.74 mb, with planted acres estimated at 87.3 million and harvested acreage at 86.2 million. Yield was unchanged at 50.7 bushels per acre.
WHEAT STOCKS
All wheat stored in all positions on Sept. 1, 2025, totaled 2.12 bb, up 6% from a year ago.
On-farm stocks are estimated at 692 mb, up 4% from last September. Off-farm stocks are pegged at 1.43 bb, up 7% from a year ago. The June-August 2025 indicated usage came in at 715 mb, up 5% from the same period last year.
Durum wheat stocks in all positions was pegged at 71.1 mb, up 6% from last year. On-farm stocks came in at 51.5 mb, up 9% from last year. Off-farm stocks of durum wheat was listed at 19.6 mb, down 3% from a year ago. The quarterly usage was listed at 43 mb, up 27% from last year.
