The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts Nebraska's winter wheat harvest will be smaller than previously expected.

The Nebraska office of the USDA said farmers in the state will likely harvest 71.4 million bushels of wheat. That's 10 percent less than the agency predicted last month and 15 percent less than last year's crop.

The agency is predicting an average yield per acre of 42 bushels this year. That's one bushel less per acre than it predicted earlier.

The USDA's predictions run counter to the Nebraska Wheat Board's predictions. Earlier this week, Wheat Board officials said they thought this year's statewide yield would be above average.

The USDA says about 1.7 million acres of wheat will be harvested in Nebraska.