U.S. Winter Wheat Condition Explained in One Colorful Pie Chart

USDA rated the U.S. winter wheat crop for the last time this month in the Crop Progress report published Monday. Here’s a closer look at the latest data on the nation’s winter wheat crop.

According to the March 2025 Prospective Planting report, USDA expected farmers to plant 33.3 million acres of winter wheat for harvest this year.

Winter Wheat Condition

Nationwide, the winter wheat crop was rated 5% very poor, 14% poor, 32% fair, 40% good, and 9% excellent the week ending April 27.

Conditions improved slightly from the previous week and are similar to this time last year.

California reported particularly strong crop conditions with 95% rated good/excellent. There is no poor/very poor winter wheat in the state, according to USDA.

Farmers in Nebraska continue to struggle with drought and wildfires, challenging this year’s crop. Almost a third of the state’s winter wheat was recently rated poor/very poor. Another 35% was rated fair.

Heading Progress

USDA reported 27% of the nation’s winter wheat crop has headed, slightly ahead of the five-year average of 22%. Last year at this time 28% of U.S. winter wheat had headed.

California leads with 80% of its crop headed, 10 percentage points ahead of the state’s five-year average. Last year at this time 74% of the California winter wheat crop had headed.

Texas and North Carolina also reported more than half of their respective winter wheat crops have headed.

Indiana reported just 4% of its crop headed. This is slightly ahead of the five-year average of 2%. Last year at this time 6% of the Indiana winter wheat crop had headed.

Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington have yet to report any headed winter wheat.