Day 14, Kansas Wheat Harvest Report

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This is day 14 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

Up and down the Colorado border, wheat producers are working to finish up harvest. The northwestern corner of the state was among the few that received moisture last fall, snow this winter and rain this spring, leading to better yields than many other areas of the state. In contrast, the southwest corner of the state is faring poorer with high rates of abandonment and declining conditions for wheat left standing in the field. Universally, moisture in the air continues to delay cutting, extending harvest well beyond a normal pace. 

Jason Ochs of Hamilton County had to abandon about 60 percent of his wheat this year due to the drought. On the remaining acres, he is averaging yields of about 20 bushels per acre. He did have one field that was adjusted at 0.3 bushels per acre, but it started raining in April before he got it destroyed, so he will harvest it, saying that it might make 15 bushels per acre. Test weights are averaging 58 to 59 pounds per bushel. 

Ochs grows both hard red winter (HRW) and hard white (HW) wheat. Both classes are shattering due to wind and hail. One of his fields had 50 percent loss after four separate hail events and has been hailed on twice since then.

He said the majority of the area had a hard time getting fall crops in due to excessive rains in May and June, so wheat acres should be up this fall. His mantra is, “You have to take advantage of the opportunity when there is moisture” — even if it messes up the crop rotation a bit.

“Residue is big-time cash as far as I’m concerned,” Ochs said.

Harvest began on July 3 and 4, but rains came in, keeping them out of the fields for several more days. Ochs noted that it is difficult to find help because of the late harvest, and he currently has one combine sitting because he has no one to run it. Weed pressure, moisture and humidity — not common issues during harvest in this part of the state — mean the machines that are running have to go slow. 

“I have two days of harvest left,” he said, “but it will take five or six.”

Ochs noted that Kansas Wheat Alliance’s hard white wheat variety Joe has been a good performer this year, yielding in the mid-30s, and that PlainsGold’s HRW wheat variety Canvas has also done well, weathering the drought.

Harvest is further behind in the northwest part of the state at 60 to 70 percent complete, well behind the normal timeline for the area, according to Stan Remington, CEO/president of Frontier Ag Inc. With the weather forecast showing temperatures in the mid-90s and no chances of rain — yet — harvest could finish up by the end of next week.  

Along Highway 36, the wheat harvest has been the best in the territory, Remington said. The area had some moisture last fall that got the wheat up, snow throughout the winter and rains this spring. Moisture was timely, but not early enough for disease to set in, allowing wheat to grow into more of its yield potential. As a result, yields started out at 70 to 80 bushels per acre with protein ranging from 10 to 11 percent where yields are high and adjusting up to 12 percent further east where conditions were drier. Test weights started excellent at 61 to 62 pounds per bushel, with daily averages now at 58 bushels per acre. Weeds are starting to be more of an issue for producers. 

Weather has been a constant battle since the day harvest started. In addition to rain delays, producers can only cut from mid-afternoon to dark, thanks to fog in the mornings and humidity that comes with the rising and setting of the sun. Two different sizeable hail events along the Cheyenne/Sherman County line eliminated some acres, along with significant damage to the corn and other fall crops. Still, Remington said producers will take the moisture because fall crops that weren’t hit by hail are looking fantastic. 

Overall, Frontier Ag Inc. expects to end up with 60 percent of the historical average for bushels across their draw area, which extends from the Colorado line up to the Nebraska border, across Highway 36, dropping down to Highway 24 to Hill City then down to Ransom and back across the I-70 corridor from WaKeeney to Goodland. 

“With the year, and as we look back at the first day of May, we feel pretty fortunate,” Remington said.

He noted grain shipments from northwest Kansas depend on how the final crop unfolds, but he is excited for when the Amber Wave wheat gluten plant comes online in Phillipsburg for additional marketing opportunities for area producers. 

The Kansas Wheat crew is keeping their eyes to the sky this weekend but will be back next week to share more updates on the Kansas wheat harvest with the next report scheduled for July 24. 

The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.

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Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat