Catch a break from Mother Nature with moisture this winter? Have a sweet spot with an excellent stand thanks to perfect planting and growth conditions? Kansas Wheat encourages growers with renewed enthusiasm for this year’s harvest to enter the ninth annual National Wheat Yield Contest, which is accepting entries now until May 15 for winter wheat categories.
“We are so thrilled to launch this new website where contestants will find it easier to enter, even using their cell phones,” said Anne Osborne, NWF yield contest director, in a press release. “The data analysis is improved on this new website, so we can continue to share production practices that lead to winning yields and top quality.”
The National Wheat Yield Contest is organized by the National Wheat Foundation. The 2024 categories include irrigated winter wheat, dryland winter wheat, irrigated spring wheat and dryland spring wheat. The contest will name 26 national winners, including state winners. All national winners will receive a trip to the 2025 Commodity Classic to be held March 2-4, 2025, in Denver.
Contest fields must be at least five continuous acres planted with professionally produced, certified, branded and newly purchased wheat seed. The field must be verified by a third-party supervisor during harvest of the contest field. Entries cost $100, with vouchers available from contest sponsors.
Contest rules also require growers to retain a 10-pound sample of grain from their entry, which will be milled, baked and evaluated for quality if the entry places nationally. For each class, the three highest ranking samples for quality will be recognized and awarded an additional $250.
In last year’s contest, William Noll of Winchester had the top yields for both dryland and irrigated winter wheat categories. His dryland entry of AgriMaxx 516 soft red winter wheat yielded 103.99 bushels per acre, while his irrigated entry of AgriMaxx 505 soft red winter wheat yielded 121.1 bushels per acre. Second prize in the state’s dryland winter wheat category was awarded to Matt Grabbe of Hays with a sample of WestBred WB4792 that yielded 79.18 bushels per acre, the same variety with which he won third place in the previous year’s contest.
Partnering sponsors for the 2024 National Wheat Yield Contest include WestBred, John Deere, BASF, U.S. Wheat Associates, The McGregor Company, Croplan, Limagrain, Ardent Mills, AgriMaxx, Bushel, DynaGro, Eastman, Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association, Mennel, North Carolina Small Grains, Ohio Corn & Wheat, Siemer Milling Company, USG, Grain Craft, Kansas Wheat, Miller Milling, Montana Grain Growers Association, ND Mill & Elevator and PlainsGold. DTN/Progressive Farmer is the competition’s official media outlet.
Growers have until May 15 to submit their entries. Enter the National Wheat Yield Contest or learn more about the contest at: wheatcontest.org Kansas entrants must be members in good standing of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, so renew your membership today at kswheat.com/KAWG.