WASHINGTON — The National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Jan. 12 estimated wheat stocks held in all positions in the United States on Dec. 1, 2009, at 1,765,218,000 bus, up 24% from 1,422,089,000 bus in 2008. It was the largest Dec. 1 wheat inventory since 1,806 million bus in 2000. Wheat disappearance during September-November 2009, the second quarter of the 2009-10 marketing year, totaled 444,120,000 bus, up 2% from 435,797,000 bus during the same span in 2008. June-November wheat use, marking disappearance during the first half of the marketing year, was estimated at 1,107,458,000 bus, down 20% from 1,382,893,000 bus during the first six months of 2008-09.

U.S. corn stocks on Dec. 1, 2009, were estimated at 10,933,676,000 bus, up 9% from 10,072,106,000 bus a year earlier. Corn disappearance in September-November 2009, the first quarter of the 2009-10 marketing year for corn, totaled 3,890,697,000 bus, up 6% from 3,653,282,000 bus in the same quarter last year.

U.S. soybean stocks on Dec. 1, 2009, were estimated at 2,336,680,000 bus, up 3% from 2,275,432,000 bus a year earlier. Soybean disappearance in September-November 2009, the first quarter of the 2009-10 marketing year for soybeans, totaled 1,162,546,000 bus, up 31% from 888,776,000 bus during the same span of 2008-09.