May crops up 70,000 tons more than last year

CHARLESTON — As of May 1, 2023, on farm hay stocks totaled 175,000 tons in the state of West Virginia. This is 70,000 tons more than what was on hand last year at this time. The disappearance of all hay stocks on farms from December 1, 2022 - May 1, 2023, was 605,000 tons, 12 percent less than the December 1, 2021 - May 1, 2022, crop disappearance of 685,000 tons for the same period. 

In the United States, winter wheat production is forecast at 1.13 billion bushels, up 2 percent from 2022. As of May 1, the United States yield is forecast at 44.7 bushels per acre, down 2.3 bushels from last year’s average yield of 47.0 bushels per acre. Area expected to be harvested for grain or seed is forecast at 25.3 million acres, up 8 percent from last year.