Field crops · NASS annual estimates, 2026
Where are oats grown?
Minnesota grows the most oats: 20% of the 69.1 million bushels grown in the 19 states NASS surveyed in 2026.
Next come North Dakota (19%) and South Dakota (11%).
- Surveyed states, 2026
- 69.1 million bushelstotal of the 19 states NASS surveys
- Top state
- Minnesota20% of total
- Farms reporting, 2022
- 15,538in 47 states
- Harvest, 2026
- Jul 12 to Aug 3010% to 90% harvested
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. State view: NASS annual estimates, 2026. County view: 2022 Census of Agriculture (production).
Which state grows the most oats?
Minnesota grows the most oats: 20% of the 69.1 million bushels grown in the 19 states NASS surveyed in 2026. Ranked by NASS's 2026 estimate.
All states ranked for oats, with year-by-year leaders →
NASS's annual estimate for oats covers 19 states. In the 2022 Census of Agriculture, those states held 94% of US production.
Which counties grow the most oats?
From the 2022 Census of Agriculture, which reports oats for 1,465 counties. NASS withholds 555 of those county figures to protect individual farms, so a withheld county could be larger than some listed here.
| County | Bushels | Share of US |
|---|---|---|
| Bottineau County, ND | 1,960,714 | 3% |
| Aroostook County, ME | 1,743,172 | 3% |
| Kidder County, ND | 958,868 | 2% |
| Renville County, ND | 926,536 | 2% |
| McHenry County, ND | 872,110 | 1% |
| Marshall County, MN | 840,276 | 1% |
| Stearns County, MN | 744,283 | 1% |
| Rolette County, ND | 662,180 | 1% |
| Pierce County, ND | 617,632 | 1% |
| Morton County, ND | 590,595 | under 1% |
| Pembina County, ND | 556,787 | under 1% |
| Langlade County, WI | 535,268 | under 1% |
| Roseau County, MN | 535,248 | under 1% |
| Otter Tail County, MN | 519,046 | under 1% |
| McLean County, ND | 503,996 | under 1% |
How has US production of oats changed?
NASS annual estimates, 2024 to 2026, for the 19 states NASS surveys.
When are oats harvested?
In 2026, the US harvest of oats was 10% done by the week ending July 12, half done by August 9 and 90% done by August 30.
NASS Crop Progress, 2026, from weekly US crop progress reports. Timing varies by state and year.
Oats by the numbers
Each note is calculated from USDA NASS data; the source is listed under it.
How concentrated
The top three states, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, account for 50% of the oats grown in the 19 states NASS surveyed.
NASS annual estimates, 2026
How widespread
Farms in 47 states reported oats in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 15,538 farms in all.
2022 Census of Agriculture
Top county
Bottineau County, North Dakota has 3% of the oats grown in the US, the most of any county with a published figure.
2022 Census of Agriculture
Census to Census
US production of oats fell 61% between the 1997 and 2022 Censuses of Agriculture, from 155 million bushels to 60.6 million bushels.
Censuses of Agriculture, 1997 to 2022
About this data
State and national figures come from NASS's annual estimates (final 2026 figures; in-season forecasts are not used). County figures and the county map come from the 2022 Census of Agriculture, the only source that covers every county. NASS withholds some figures, marked "withheld", to avoid disclosing data for individual farms.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Quick Stats. Series: OATS - PRODUCTION, MEASURED IN BU; OATS - PRODUCTION, MEASURED IN BU. Data processed 2026-11-06. Methodology.