First Look: Another High-Quality Soft Red Winter Wheat Crop
In its first detailed report on U.S. wheat quality in 2024, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) is pleased to report that farmers growing soft red winter (SRW) wheat weathered some challenging conditions to produce another high-quality crop for domestic and overseas customers.
The 2024 SRW crop benefitted from excellent winter moisture followed by mid-season drought and heat that reduced test weight and yield potential. Yet the crop exhibits good milling characteristics and is relatively free of higher DON. Processors are seeing a versatile crop with good qualities for cookies and crackers. Higher protein and good extensibility should help add value in blending for baking applications.
The full USW Soft Red Winter Quality Survey is available online here. Buyers are encouraged to review their quality specifications to ensure that purchases meet their expectations.
Milling and baking industries use soft red winter wheat for specialty products such as cookies (biscuits), crackers, snack foods, and cake flour. SRW is a versatile wheat for blending with U.S. hard red spring (HRS) and hard red winter (HRW) wheat to lower grist cost and improve bread crumb texture, or to improve the quality and appearance of a wide variety of products.
How the Season Progressed
SRW planting started in mid-September 2023 and stayed mostly on a normal pace. USDA estimates seeded area at a total of 6.14 million acres (2.48 million hectares). That is down 24% compared to the 2023 crop but up 4% over the 5-year average.
Warm, wet conditions prevailed across the eastern U.S. through the winter and into the spring. 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 harvest. There were some rain delays at harvest in areas feeding into the Gulf export tributaries.
With lower seeded-area buffered by good growing conditions, farmers produced just under 342 million bushels, or 9.3 million metric tons (MMT) of soft red winter wheat, and beat the 9.0 MMT 5-year average.
2024 Crop Highlights
The overall grade sample average for the 2024 SRW harvest survey is U.S. No. 2 SRW.
Test weight averages trended lower this year and likely reflect mid-season heat and dryness.
Wheat protein (12% mb) averages are higher compared to last year’s crop and the 5-year average. The higher SRW protein content reflects expanding drought during the growing season.
The wheat falling number average for the East Coast is notably higher than last year and 5-year average due to better harvest conditions. The Gulf average is lower than last year but in line with the 5-year average, reflecting isolated wet weather during harvest. This year’s overall average soft red winter wheat falling number of 326 seconds indicates a sound crop.
Vomitoxin (DON) averages are higher than last year, but still below the USDA threshold of 2.0 ppm, indicating the sampled crop is relatively free of DON.
Single kernel values reflect that this year’s crop is lighter and has slightly smaller diameters than last year, but similar to the 5-year average. Compared to last year, the East Coast kernels are softer, and Gulf kernels are similar.
Amylograph viscosity indicates starch characteristics that are suitable for batter-based products. The Overall and Gulf values are lower than average. The East Coast value is significantly higher than average and reinforces the higher falling numbers and lower amylase activity compared to last year.
Solvent Retention Capacity (SRC) values for this crop indicate excellent quality for all typical applications. Sucrose values indicate cookies and crackers will benefit from reduced bake time and should not experience any excess water-holding issues.
Dough properties suggest this crop is in a similar range of values compared to last year and the 5-year average and typical for SRW.
Cookie spread factor values indicate the crop has acceptable spreadability (diameter to height ratio). The Gulf values are lower compared to last year and 5-year average but should be resolvable with minor formulation adjustments. The East Coast values are the same as last year and similar to the 5-year average.
Loaf volume averages are higher than last year and similar to 5-year averages, reflecting the higher protein and greater extensibility of this year’s crop, and also indicates suitability for blending.
