Production of 5.327 million cwts in the second quarter was down 8% from 5.8 million cwts in the first quarter of 2017. Second quarter production also was 3% smaller than 5.513 million cwts in the second quarter of 2015.

Still, the quarter was the second in a row in which whole wheat production was higher than the year earlier period, suggesting stabilization following a year of steady declines in 2016. Production was down in each quarter of 2016 versus the year before, with decreases ranging from 4% to 10%.

Whole wheat production in the second quarter equated to 5.1% of all wheat flour production, totaling 104.403 million cwts. The share accounted for by whole wheat flour production was up from 5% in the second quarter of 2016 but down from 5.5% in the first quarter of 2017.

Year-to-date 2017 whole wheat flour production was 11.127 million cwts, up 4% from 10.701 million cwts in January-June 2016.

Production of whole wheat semolina in April-June 2017 was 108,000 cwts, down 33% from 162,000 cwts in the second quarter of 2016 and was the smallest quarter on record by a significant margin. Since NASS began issuing data on whole wheat semolina, production had ranged from a low of 155,000 cwts to a high of 407,000. At 108,000 cwts, whole wheat semolina accounted for only 1.4% of total semolina production, which totaled 7.527 million cwts in the quarter.