Six Classes

South Dakota Grows Four Classes of Wheat

Wheat is the principal US cereal grain for domestic consumption and export.  Wheat is the fourth leading US field crop and the leading export crop.

South Dakota wheat producers grow four of the six different classes of wheat -- winter wheat, spring wheat, hard white wheat and durum wheat; each with unique end-use characteristics and quality.  Wheat is grown on more than 2.8 million acres of land in South Dakota with an average production of 100 million bushels a year. The state ranks seventh in overall production of wheat (ers.usda.gov).

The agricultural areas of the United States differ dramatically in topography, soils and climate. Because of these differences, the United States produces a wide variety of crops; each suited to its own locale.  Just like most other crops, wheat is grown in most of the 50 states of the United States.  The kind of wheat grown and the quantity vary widely from one region to another.

Wheat has two distinct growing seasons.  Where each class is grown depends on rainfall, temperature, soil condition and tradition.  Winter wheat, which accounts for 70-80 percent of the US wheat acres is sown in the fall and harvested in the spring or summer.  Spring wheat is planted in the spring and harvested in late summer or early fall.  In addition to time of year that it is planted and harvested, wheat classes are also determined by hardness, color, and shape of kernels. Each class of wheat has its own relatively uniform characteristics related to milling, baking or other food use.

There are several hundred varieties of wheat, which fall into one of six classes.  The six basic classes are as follows:

• Hard Red Winter (HRW) is an important bread wheat which accounts for almost forty percent of the U.S. wheat crop and wheat exports. This fall-seeded wheat is produced in the Great Plains, which extend from the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains and from the Dakotas and Montana south to Texas. Significant quantities are also produced in California. HRW has a moderately high protein content, usually averaging 11-12 percent, and good milling and baking characteristics. There are no subclasses of this class. HRW is used to produce bread, rolls, and to a lesser extent, sweet goods and all-purpose flour. Major foreign buyers include Russia, China, Japan, Morocco, and Poland.  Approximately 45 percent of the wheats grown in South Dakota are winter wheat varieties.  The southern half of the state is the primary growing region for winter wheat.

• Hard Red Spring (HRS), another important bread wheat, maintains the highest protein content, usually 13-14 percent, in addition to good milling and baking characteristics. This spring-seeded wheat is primarily grown in the north central United States--North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana.  Large quantities of HRS are used in domestic markets.  HRS comprises just over twenty percent of U.S. wheat exports. Subclasses based upon the dark, hard and vitreous kernel content (DHV), include dark northern spring, northern spring and red spring.  Exported largely to Central America, Japan, the Philippines, and Russia. Spring wheat varieties make up roughly 50 percent of the wheats grown in South Dakota.