Kansas wheat harvest report

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This is Day 12 of the 2014 Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and Kansas Grain and Feed Association.

Harvest is still slowly progressing across the state as most farmers prepare for the home stretch. According to the USDA, 70% of all Kansas wheat has been harvested, 13% lower than this point last year, but a large step ahead of last week’s total of 40%.

Gary Gants, manager of D.E. Bondurant Grain Co. of Ness City, said that things are mostly winding up in his neck of the woods, but he could potentially have some farmers still bringing in wheat for more than a week. He reported that they took in their first load on June 18, but they are just coming off of a week-long stalemate due to rain. He estimates that the area received 7-8 inches during the month of June while they had received less than 2 inches from January to May. Yields have been highly varied. Some farmers have been totally zeroed out by adjusters while others have averaged about 45 bushels an acre. Test weights have fallen due to the rain to the current average of 58 pounds per bushel. Protein content is coming in at a little more than usual, about 12.5%, and he estimates that the final harvest total will be about 65% of an average crop for the area.

Stan Stark, a representative of Farmers Coop Co. in Haviland, reported that they had received 1.1 million bushels company wide across their five locations. Normally at this point, he estimated that the company would have more than 1.7 million bushels. Yields have ranged anywhere from 5-30 bushels per acre. He has seen much higher than usual protein content, and test weights have dropped due to rain to the current range of 57-58 pounds per bushel. The location has seen some insect damaged kernels come through, but overall dockage has decreased has harvest has progressed. Stark estimates that the Haviland area will be completely harvested by the end of the week.

Beloit farmer Michael Jordan took in his final load of wheat last night. He had yields ranging from the low teens to the upper 40s and test weights ranging from 58-62.5 pounds. His wheat had a higher than normal protein content. Jordan saw some insect damaged kernels, as well as high weed pressure. He reported that most farmers in his area are finishing up and that he predicts that most will be finished by the end of the week. For Jordan, this was a dismal year for the quantity of his wheat with his totals coming in at less than half of a normal crop.

The 2014 Harvest Report is brought to you by Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and Kansas Grain and Feed Association.