1999 Survey

VARIETIES		SACRAMENTO VALLEY	SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY	COAST	SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA	SIERRA AND NO. CALIF.	VARIETY TOTALS	1998 TOTALS
WHITE VARIETIES
Alpowa	Acres		8			1,808	1,816	567
	Percent *		< .01%			0.4%	0.4%	0.1%
Dirkwin	Acres		16,800	3,400		205	20,405	22,844
	Percent		3.5%	0.7%		< .01%	4.3%	4.7%
Klasic	Acres		7,392	1,144			8,536	11,894
	Percent		1.5%	0.2%			1.8%	2.4%
Moro	Acres					400	400	685
	Percent					0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
Stephens	Acres					1,000	1,000	1,288
	Percent					0.1%	0.2%	0.3%
Twin	Acres					600	600	2,611
	Percent					0.1%	0.1%	0.5%
Yamhill	Acres					2,300	2,300	1,519
	Percent					0.5%	0.5%	0.3%
Other/Unknown White	Acres	20		853		494	1,367	3,696
	Percent	< .01%		0.2%		0.1%	0.3%	0.8%
RED VARIETIES
Anza	Acres	17,499	537	7,999			26,035	27,628
	Percent	3.6%	0.1%	1.7%			5.4%	5.6%
Bonus	Acres	4,500	2,000				6,500	N/A
	Percent	0.9%	0.4%				1.4%
Brooks	Acres		90,000				90,000	68,061
	Percent		18.7%				18.7%	13.9%
Cuyama	Acres	254	9,000				9,254	5,173
	Percent	0.1%	1.9%				1.9%	1.1%
Express	Acres	49,000	9,500			411	58,911	83,368
	Percent	10.2%	2.0%			0.1%	12.3%	17.0%
RSI-5	Acres	42,156	65,000	250	217	1,458	109,081	113,947
	Percent	8.8%	13.5%	0.1%	< .01%	0.3%	22.7%	23.2%
Serra	Acres	17,567	3,500				21,067	17,233
	Percent	3.7%	0.7%				4.4%	3.5%
Yecora Rojo	Acres		79,006	5,655	24,159	4,460	113,280	108,783
	Percent		16.5%	1.2%	5.0%	0.9%	23.6%	22.2%
Yolo	Acres	3,015	3,000				6,015	12,372
	Percent	0.6%	0.6%				1.3%	2.5%
Other/Unknown	Acres	1,000	569	1,100		800	3,469	8,666
Red	Percent	0.2%	0.1%	0.2%		0.2%	0.7%	1.8%
*TOTAL (ALL WHEAT OTHER THAN DURUM)*	Acres	135,011	286,312	20,401	24,376	13,936	480,036	490,335
	Percent	28.1%	59.6%	4.2%	5.1%	2.9%	100.0%	100.0%
* Percent of "All wheat other than Durum" (480,036 acres)
			SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY	COAST	SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA	SIERRA AND NO. CALIF.	VARIETY TOTALS	1998 TOTALS
DURUM VARIETIES
Cortez	Acres		5,000		60		5,060	12,100
	Percent*		5.6%		0.1%		5.7%	6.7%
Duraking	Acres		551		2,811		3,362	2,946
	Percent		0.6%		3.2%		3.8%	1.6%
Kofa	Acres				5,250		5,250	14,166
	Percent		0.0%		5.9%		5.9%	7.8%
Kronos	Acres		31,573		30,266		61,839	133,235
	Percent		35.5%		34.1%		69.6%	73.3%
Mohawk	Acres				1,724		1,724	N/A
	Percent				1.9%		1.9%
Ria	Acres				2,500		2,500	3,808
	Percent				2.8%		2.8%	2.1%
WB 881	Acres		6,000		3,150		9,150	12,054
	Percent		6.8%		3.5%		10.3%	6.6%
Other & Unknown	Acres							3,531
Durum	Percent							1.9%
*ALL DURUM WHEAT*	Acres		43,124		45,761		88,885	181,840
	Percent		48.5%		51.5%		100.0%	100.0%
*ALL WHEAT*	Acres	135,011	329,436	20,401	70,137	13,936	568,921	672,175
	Percent	23.7%	57.9%	3.6%	12.3%	2.4%	100%	100%
* Percent of "All wheat other than Durum" (480,036 acres)

Note: This report reflects wheat that was planted in the fall of 1998/early winter 1999 for harvest in spring/summer of 1999.

As a result of low worldwide wheat prices, California wheat plantings for the 1999 harvest year were down. Overall, there was a 15% decrease in planted wheat acreage from 1998, due mainly to a large decrease in Durum acreage and a decrease in red wheat plantings in the Sacramento Valley. Growing conditions to date have been average to excellent in most parts of the state.

CALIFORNIA'S RED AND WHITE WHEAT:

Red wheat acreage was down approximately 2% overall from 1998. The biggest change in red wheat plantings occurred in the Sacramento Valley, where the acreage decreased approximately 25% from 1998 plantings. The San Joaquin Valley red wheat acreage was up 15%, mostly due to growers switching from Desert Durum varieties in 1998 back to red wheat in 1999. The red wheat varieties Brooks, RSI-5, Express, and Yecora Rojo accounted for approximately 77% of the total non-durum wheat plantings. RSI-5 is a popular variety in both the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys due to its high yields; it is mainly planted for milling purposes in the Sacramento Valley and multiple (grain and non-grain) uses in the San Joaquin Valley. Brooks acreage continued to increase in the San Joaquin Valley. Brooks competes with Yecora Rojo. Express -- a high protein bread wheat -- remains very popular from the Stockton/Tracy area of the San Joaquin Valley north through the Sacramento Valley. Serra is a popular dryland variety in the Sacramento Valley. New red wheat varieties include Bonus and Stander.

Various soft white wheats (in comparatively small quantities) are grown in the Sierra and Northern California regions. Dirkwin, a white wheat typically grown for non-grain uses in the San Joaquin Valley and coastal regions, was produced on approximately 20,000 acres. Klasic, a hard white milling wheat, was planted on approximately 8,500 acres in the San Joaquin Valley and coastal areas.

DESERT DURUM:

Desert Durum plantings in both the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California Regions decreased approximately 51% in 1999 (from a total of 181,840 acres to 88,885 acres). As noted above, some of last year's durum acreage in the San Joaquin Valley was replaced this year with red wheat. Kronos continues to be the predominate Desert Durum variety grown in California, accounting for almost 70% of the acreage. A large portion of the Cortez acreage was used as greenchop in the San Joaquin Valley. Mohawk is a new Desert Durum variety being grown in Southern California this year.

1999 California Wheat Variety Survey (released April 15, 1999)