The Kansas wheat harvest is in full swing and has now expanded to cover almost half of the state. According to the Kansas Wheat website, day two of the harvest reports showed combines operating as far north as Lincoln County.
According to Doug Zeller, a grain merchandiser at the Scoular Grain elevator in Wellington, many farmers are achieving impressive yields and protein levels. Zeller reports that the average test weight is between 62 to 63 pounds per bushel, while protein levels remain consistent at 11 to 12.5%.
During an interview with Kansas Wheat, the farmer expressed his surprise at the quality of this year’s harvest. He mentioned that usually, higher yields come with lower protein and test weights. However, this year, the opposite is true, and the quality of the harvest is better than expected.
Tim Turk, a farmer located near South Haven, has begun wheat cutting a week earlier than usual. He has achieved impressive yields ranging from 40 to over 70 bushels per acre, with test weights reaching 62 pounds per bushel and proteins ranging between 10-12%. Turk has expressed satisfaction with the performance of several wheat varieties, including AP Prolific, AP18 AX, AP24 AX, and Bob Dole.
Turek expressed his amazement at the progress of wheat genetics over the past several years, attributing it to the remarkable recovery this year compared to the previous year. He marveled at the fact that wheat has survived the whirlwind weather this year, which would have been impossible in his childhood days.
The Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports are a collaborative initiative of the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association, and the Kansas Cooperative Council.
