ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US — The 2024 US soft red winter (SRW) wheat crop exhibits good milling characteristics and is relatively free of high vomitoxin (DON) levels, according to a report released on Sept. 17 by US Wheat Associates (USW).

“Processors are seeing a versatile crop with good qualities for cookies and crackers,” USW said. “Higher protein and good extensibility should help add value in blending for baking applications.”

This year’s crop benefited from excellent winter moisture, but some areas also dealt with mid-season drought and heat that reduced test weight and yield potential, the report said.

“Warm, wet conditions prevailed across the eastern US through winter and into spring,” USW said. “Even with pockets of adverse weather, there was limited disease pressure. After harvest started in mid-May, wet weather followed into early June until heat and dryness set in to speed up the harvest.”

USW said 342 million bushels (9.3 million tonnes) of SRW were harvested, topping the five-year average of 9 million tonnes. The US Department of Agriculture estimated seeded area at 6.14 million acres (2.48 million hectares), down 24% from 2023 but 4% above the five-year average.

Other highlights from this year’s crop include:

  • Wheat protein levels averaged 12%, which is higher than the 2023 crop and the five-year average.
  • The overall average for wheat falling number was 316 seconds, higher than last year’s crop and the five-year average due to better harvest conditions.
  • Vomitoxin (DON) averages were higher than last year, but still below the USDA threshold of 2.0 ppm. Of the samples tested for DON, 66% of those from the Gulf and 59% from the East Coast had levels below 1.0 ppm.
  • The laboratory mill flour extraction rate of 70.1% is higher than last year and the five-year average. The extraction rate from a laboratory mill is not optimized and always will be significantly lower than the rate obtained from a commercial mill, the USW noted.

SRW is the third largest class of wheat grown in the United States. SRW wheat is grown predominantly east of the Mississippi River and the South as far west as northeast Texas and southeast Kansas.

The full report is available here.