US winter wheat harvest reaches 96%

The US winter wheat harvest is nearing completion. As of August 16, farmers had harvested 96% of the crop, slightly ahead of the five-year average of 94%, according to USDA data.

Harvesting has already been completed in 11 of the 18 major winter wheat-producing states, including Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Illinois and Ohio. In the remaining seven states, harvest progress ranges from 75% to 99%.

Idaho has the slowest progress among these states, with 75% of winter wheat harvested, although this is well ahead of the five-year average of 62%. In Montana, harvest is 79% complete compared with the five-year average of 74%.

In Washington, one of the major wheat-producing states in the US Pacific Northwest, 81% of the crop has been harvested, compared with the five-year average of 76%. Winter wheat area for the 2026 crop is estimated at 1.9 mln acres, up from 1.85 mln acres last season.

Harvest progress has reached 95% in Oregon, 98% in South Dakota and 99% in both California and Nebraska. Thus, despite harvesting still being underway in seven major states, the overall US winter wheat harvest is progressing slightly faster than usual.

Tags: harvest, winter wheat, USA