LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The U-S Department of Agriculture has increased its forecast for the size of Nebraska’s winter wheat crop, but the harvest still is expected to be the lowest since 1944.

The Agricultural Statistics Service says that, based on June 1 conditions, Nebraska’s farmers are expected to harvest 45.5 million bushels. That’s up 6% from the May 1 forecast but down 15% from last year’s crop.

The yield forecast is 35 bushels an acre, up 2 bushels from the May prediction but 6 bushels less than last year. The forecast for acreage to be harvested for grain stays the same as in May at 1.3 million acres, which is also the same as last year.