Wheat Classes Grown in the United States...

Hardest of all wheats, durum has a rich amber color and high gluten content. It sets the "gold standard" for premium pasta products, couscous and some Mediterranean breads.

Hard Red Spring

The aristocrat of wheat when it comes to "designer" wheat foods like hearth breads, rolls, croissants, bagels and pizza crust, HRS is also a valued improver in flour blends.

Hard Red Winter

Versatile, with excellent milling and baking characteristics for pan bread, HRW is also a choice wheat for Asian noodles, hard rolls, flat breads, general purpose flour and as an improver for blending.

Hard White

The newest class of U.S. wheat, HW receives enthusiastic reviews when used for Asian noodles, whole wheat or high extraction applications, pan breads and flat breads.

Soft Red Winter

Versatile weak gluten wheat with excellent milling and baking characteristics for cookies and crackers and as an improver for blending.

Soft White

A low moisture wheat with high extraction rates, providing a whiter product for exquisite cakes, pastries, and Asian-style noodles, SW is also ideally suited to Middle Eastern flat breads.

Select Wheat Class to display definition.

Wheat Grades & Grade Requirements

Grading Factors	Grades U.S. Number
Minimum pound limits:	1	2	3	4	5
Test Weight (lbs/bu):
HRS or White Club Wheat	58.0	57.0	55.0	53.0	50.0
All other classes and subclasses	60.0	58.0	56.0	54.0	51.0
Test Weight (kg/hl):
HRS or White Club Wheat	76.4	75.1	72.5	69.9	66.0
Durum	78.2	75.6	73.0	70.4	66.5
All other classes and subclasses	78.9	76.4	73.8	71.2	67.3
Maximum percent limits:	1	2	3	4	5
Defects:
Damaged kernels - Heat (part of total)	0.2	0.2	0.5	1.0	3.0
Damaged kernels - Total	2.0	4.0	7.0	10.0	15.0
Foreign material	0.4	0.7	1.3	3.0	5.0
Shrunken and broken kernels	3.0	5.0	8.0	12.0	20.0
Total ^1/	3.0	5.0	8.0	12.0	20.0
Wheat of Other Classes:^2/
Contrasting classes	1.0	2.0	3.0	10.0	10.0
Total ^3/	3.0	5.0	10.0	10.0	10.0
Stones	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
Maximum count limits:	1	2	3	4	5
Other material (1000 gram sample):
Animal filth	1	1	1	1	1
Castor beans	1	1	1	1	1
Crotalaria seeds	2	2	2	2	2
Glass	0	0	0	0	0
Stones	3	3	3	3	3
Unknown foreign sunstance	3	3	3	3	3
Total ^4/	4	4	4	4	4
Insect-damaged kernels in 100 grams	31	31	31	31	31
U.S. Sample grade: Wheat that: (a) Does not meet the requirements for U.S. Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; or (b) Has a musty, sour or commercially objectionable foreign odor (except smut or garlic odor); or (c) Is heating or of distinctly low quality. 1/ Includes damaged kernels (total), foreign material, and shrunken and broken kernels. 2/ Unclassed wheat of any grade may contain not more than 10.0% of wheat of other classes. 3/ Includes contrasting classes. 4/ Includes any combination of animal filth, castor beans, crotalaria seeds, glass, stones, or unknown foreign substance.

CROP QUALITY

2011 U.S. Crop Quality Report

For decades, USW has published detailed information about each U.S. wheat crop -- by class and by regions within class. It is the information buyers need to get the most value possible for their investment. The latest Crop Quality Report for 2011 is now available online

Read the latest report...

WASDE

Steady U.S. Wheat Demand

The first World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) for 2012 reflected steady overseas demand for U.S. wheat and an optimistic group of U.S. winter wheat growers. Projected exports are raised 25 million bushels based on the pace of sales and shipments to traditional markets. Increases for Hard Red Winter, White, and Soft Red Winter wheat more than offset a reduction for Hard Red Spring wheat. Ending stocks are projected 8 million bushels lower at 870 million. Global ending stocks for 2011/12 are projected 1.5 million tons higher at 210.0 million.

Read the January WASDE Report