Entries open for 2025 National Wheat Yield Contest

Is this the year for a bin-busting wheat crop? Kansas wheat producers are encouraged to scout their best fields for entries in the 2025 National Wheat Yield Contest. Now in its 10th year, the National Wheat Foundation’s contest offers producers a chance to win prizes and learn from other producers across the country how to maximize their management to improve yields and quality. 

“The goal of the National Wheat Yield Contest is to recognize the best management practices that help growers achieve high yield and high quality harvests,” said Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat Vice President of Research and Operations. “With the addition of the pilot digital yield category, Kansas wheat producers have another way to demonstrate their ability to adopt and utilize cutting-edge technology, showcasing how innovation can drive both yield and quality advancements in our industry.” 

The contest includes four main categories: dryland winter wheat, irrigated winter wheat, dryland spring wheat and irrigated spring wheat. Contest fields must be at least five continuous acres, planted with professionally produced, certified, branded, newly purchased wheat seed. All contestants must retain a 10-pound bag of grain for shipment and quality testing. If an entry places nationally, that sample will be milled, baked and evaluated by a panel of industry experts. 

The top three yield entries in each category by state will be recognized. National winners will be recognized and awarded with a cash award, along with travel and registration expenses to attend the 2026 Commodity Classic in February in San Antonio, Texas. Top industry-desired quality will be recognized with an additional cash reward. 

A new highlight for 2025 is the expansion of a Digital Yield plot category, which is open to Kansas producers who raise dryland winter wheat. Producers can enter the category using digital technologies such as John Deere Operations Center, Climate FieldView or Bushel, alongside calibrated grain cart scale data, to submit yields from a designated 20-acre area. Producers can enter up to three fields in this category. 

“We are so pleased with the growth of the contest and look forward to continuing to share the lessons learned as farmers work to produce high-yielding, high-quality wheat,” said Anne Osborne, NWF yield contest director, in an article for DTN/Progressive Farmer. “U.S. wheat plays a critical role in the world food supply, and the benefits of having the crop in the rotation cannot be overstated as farmers look to improve their productivity and profitability.”

Growers must submit entries by May 15, 2025, for winter wheat categories and August 1, 2025, for spring wheat categories. Harvest data is due by October 1, 2025. Entries must be completed online at wheatcontest.org. Each entry costs $100, but sponsoring partners have entry fee vouchers available. 

Partnering sponsors for the 2025 National Wheat Yield Contest include: John Deere, WestBred, BASF, U.S. Wheat Associates, Croplan, Limagrain Cereal Seeds, The McGregor Co., AgXplore, Eastman, Ardent Mills, AgriMaxx, Bushel, DynaGro Seed, Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association, Mennel, North Carolina Small Grain Growers Association, Ohio Corn & Wheat, PlainsGold, Siemer Milling Co., UPL, Corteva Agriscience, Climate FieldView, Grain Craft, Idaho Wheat, Kansas Wheat, Michigan Wheat Program, Miller Milling, Montana Grain Growers Association, North Dakota Mill & Elevator, and the Northern Crops Institute. DTN/Progressive Farmer is the official media outlet of the competition.

All entrants must be a member of a state wheat grower association — like the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers — or the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). 

Find more information or enter the 2025 National Wheat Yield Contest at wheatcontest.org. 

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Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat