Wheat Facts and Ag Trivia

• Wheat is not native to the United States and was not even grown by the colonists.
• Wheat was first planted in the United States in 1777 as a hobby crop.
• Wheat is grown in 42 states in the United States.
• Wheat yields have improved by approximately one-half bushel per acre each year since 1900.
• The U.S. is the largest exporter of wheat in the world.
• About 50% of the wheat grown in the U.S. each year is exported.
• Less than 5% of the world’s potential wheat consumers live in the U.S.
• Agricultural exports, including high-volume wheat exports, create nearly one million American jobs both on and off the farm.
• U.S. Wheat Associates is jointly funded by wheat grower and government dollars.  Wheat growers fund USW through the checkoff managed by their respective state wheat commissions and councils, which are actively involved in USW activities.
• Each dollar received from U.S. farm export products produces another $2.59 in economic activity for a total of $60 billion in support services to harvest, process, package, store, transport and market products, making agricultural exports a value-added export.
• A bushel of wheat weighs approximately 60 lbs.
• A bushel of wheat yields approximately 42 pounds of flour.
• A bushel of wheat makes about 70 one-pound loaves of bread.
• The wheat in a loaf of bread brings the farmer only a nickel.
• The workers who built the pyramids in Egypt were paid in bread.
• In 1998, the United States added folic acid to all enriched grain foods, including bread. Folic acid is a key ingredient in preventing serious birth defects.
• In 1790, 90% of Americans were employed in agriculture.
• An acre is approximately the size of a U.S. football field.
• 1 part per trillion (1 ppt) is equivalent to the weight of 1 flea on 360,000 elephants.
• Of each $1.00 spent on food in the United States, the farmer’s share is approximately 23 cents.
• It takes just 40 days for most Americans to earn enough money to pay for their food supply for the whole year. It takes 129 days for the average American to earn enough money to pay his or her federal, state, and local taxes for the year.
• Less than 1% of U.S. farms are owned by non-family corporations.

Sources: Kansas Wheat Commission,  U.S. Wheat Associates, Minnesota Wheat Council