WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The first government forecast of the growing season shows U.S. farmers planted fewer acres of winter wheat for harvest this year. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported yesterday (FRI) that the 41.9 million acres planted nationally are down 2 percent from last year. Kansas planted 8.8 million acres of winter wheat, down 7 percent from a year ago. Seeding for the 2014 winter wheat crop began in August.