WASHINGTON, DC, US — Flour production in January-March 2026 totaled 102.547 million cwts, down 2.830 million cwts, or 2.7%, from 105.377 million in the first quarter of 2025, according to data issued May 1 by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the US Department of Agriculture.
Production in the first quarter was down 1.524 million cwts, or 1.5%, from 104.071 million in the last months of 2025.
The first three months of 2026 extended to five the streak of consecutive quarters in which flour production was lower than the comparable period the year before.
At 102.547 million cwts, first-quarter production was the smallest in 15 years, or since 100.024 million cwts in January-March 2011. In the intervening period, the peak for first-quarter flour production was 108.177 million cwts in 2020 followed by 105.612 million cwts in 2018.
US flour mills in the first quarter of this year operated at 84.7% of six-day milling capacity, down from 86.6% a year earlier but above 84.3% in the final quarter of 2025. Capacity utilization in the quarter was the smallest since 82.7% in January-March 2019.
Wheat grind in the first quarter was 222.403 million bushels, down 4.224 million, or 1.9%, from 226.627 million bushels a year earlier. Millfeed production was 1,575,400 tons in the quarter, down 22,389 tons, or 1.4%, from a year earlier.
Daily flour milling capacity was 1,592,637 cwts in the first quarter, down 8,180, or 0.5%, from 1,600,817 cwts the year before. Capacity was down 10,000 cwts from the fourth quarter of last year.
Semolina production in the first quarter was 7.943 million cwts, down 3.5% from 8.231 million cwts a year earlier. Rye flour production was 168,000 cwts, up 11% from 152,000 cwts in January-March 2025.
Whole wheat flour production in the first quarter was 3.911 million cwts, down 13% from 4.488 million cwts in January-March 2025.