Basis bids for hard red winter wheat in the US Plains were steady to firmer on Friday and some dealers were posting as much as 20 cents a bushel protection as grain markets were seen sliding on a bearish USDA supply report. Protection ranged from 10-20 cents through the Plains ahead of the market opening.
The US Department of Agriculture forecast on Friday that US wheat supplies for 2011/12 totalled 878 million bushels, above trade estimates for 830 million bushels and up from the November forecast of 828 million bushels. Protein premiums for railcar wheat to and through Kansas City fell 5 cents a bushel for 13.00 percent protein wheat through 14.00-pro wheat. Kansas City Board of Trade hard red winter wheat futures closed down 2-3/4 cents a bushel at $6.58-1/2 in the March on Thursday.