Day 15, Kansas Wheat Harvest Report

This is day 15 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and the Kansas Grain and Feed Association.

According to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, for the week ending July 5, 2020, Kansas winter wheat mature was 98%, ahead of 87% last year, and near 96% for the five-year average. Harvested was 80%, well ahead of 52% last year, and near 76% average.

Larry Glenn from Frontier Ag of Quinter in Gove County, reported that his first intake of wheat started around June 20-21. They received a couple of loads and then it stopped. It has been a slow process getting the wheat to the grain bins. Farmers were constantly interrupted by heavy amounts of rain. Along with the rain, farmers were also facing fields that still had green patches in them and weeds. Comparing bushels to last year, they are considerably less, due to fewer acres being planted and fields drying slower because of rain. Yields are also below average; last year workers were having to store wheat on the ground because of the abundance of wheat. This year Glenn says it should all fit in the bins. Protein levels are above 12%, and test weights are 60 pounds per bushel and above.

“We are about 75% done, but I still have hopes that there is wheat out there that needs to come to town,” said Glenn. Farmers are looking at another week to 10 days of harvest if the weather cooperates.

Steve Clanton of Minneapolis in Ottawa County, started harvest around June 26 and wrapped up on July 3. Protein levels averaged 13.8%, which was higher than last year’s average of 11.5%. Clanton reported that harvest started on time and yields were average.

Bill Spiegel who farms in Jewell County, reports that harvest began on July 2 and he hopes to be finished by July 7, if the moisture and humidity stay down. Protein levels were in the 11.8% range. This year’s crop was planted two different ways, one being wheat behind soybeans and the second one being wheat behind wheat stubble. The wheat planted behind soybeans showed more improvement and was better than Spiegel had anticipated. On the other hand, wheat that was planted behind wheat stubble did not do as well as he had thought. This year’s harvest was one of the latest harvests he could recall due to weather and he had treated with fungicide, which takes longer for them to dry down. According to Spiegel, WestBred’s Grainfield was the best variety for his operation.

Craig Dinkel of Midway Extension District in Ellsworth and Russell counties, started with a little harvest on June 17, but was shut down by rain shortly afterward. They were able to start back up on June 24 in the afternoon. Yields this year are all over the board, ranging from 20 to 70 bushels per acre, with averages of 45 to 55 bushels. Yields have mostly been below average, but in the southeast corner of Ellsworth County, some spots were above average. This year harvest started later than normal, and with freeze damage, dry weather and hail, it is taking longer. They are usually done by July 4. Harvest should be wrapping up in the next week, if the weather cooperates. Dinkel reported that in his area, Kansas Wheat Alliance’s Zenda was one of the varieties that was standing out.

The 2020 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and the Kansas Grain and Feed Association. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest20. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.