The latest federal report forecasts a big drop in the Nebraska winter wheat crop and yield.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture news release issued Tuesday says that, based on June 1 conditions, the crop will drop to 50.8 million bushels.

That's down 15 percent from the May 1 forecast and 22 percent under last year.

The yield is expected to average 40 bushels an acre, which is down seven from last month's forecast, five from last year and 1.4 below the 10-year average.

The USDA says much of the harvest drop is expected because the 1.27 million acres to be harvested for grain is 12 percent under last year and is the lowest since 1917.