WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in its delayed Winter Wheat and Canola Seedings report released Feb. 8, estimated winter wheat seeded for harvest in 2019 at 31,290,000 acres, down 3.8% from 32,535,000 acres seeded for harvest in 2018 and the lowest since 29,196,000 acres in 1909, when records began.

Area seeded to hard red winter wheat was estimated at 22.2 million acres, down 3% from 2018, while area seeded to soft red winter was estimated at 5.66 million acres, down 7%.

White winter wheat seeded area was estimated at 3.44 million acres, down 3%.

“The largest declines in (hard red winter) planted acreage are estimated in California, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma,” the U.S.D.A. said.

Hard red winter acreage was record low in Nebraska and was down 6% in top-producing Kansas.