Wheat acreage in the United States is projected to be at a 46-year low for the 2017 season as a result of historically low prices. South Dakota has been following that national trend. South Dakota Wheat Commission Executive Director Reid Christopherson says while USDA’s official figures aren’t in yet, he expects winter wheat acreage to be down over last year and historically.

Christopherson says South Dakota farmers have also been planting a diversity of crops the past several years, which is cutting into wheat acres.

Nationally, 89-percent of the winter wheat crop has been seeded and in South Dakota farmers have essentially wrapped up plantings, which is a normal seasonal pattern.

Christopherson says while all commodity prices have been down, the good news for wheat growers is exports are picking up and there’s demand for good quality milling wheat.