Kansas wheat harvest report

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This is Day 14 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.

On this last day of Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, much of the state has nearly wrapped up their harvest seasons. The farmers that are left are playing a waiting game with Mother Nature and the increasing weed pressure.

David Pfizenmaier, a representative of AgMark in Clay Center, reported that some farmers in the area are still harvesting, but he estimates that they should be completing within the next five days. Pfizenmaier said, “Yields this year are the most variable I’ve ever seen. We’ve had some abandonment happen on the western part of the county, but we have also heard of some people getting 50-60 bushels an acre in the eastern portion.” Test weights are averaging 59.5 bushels an acre and protein content is higher than normal at its current range of 13-13.6%. Clay Center has received 850,000 bushels so far this year, but their 5 year average at this point in the season has been 1.2 million bushels. However, this year has been a shock to farmers after last year’s outstanding harvest as the final bushel totals are expected to decrease 55% this season.

Larry Sheridan, a representative of Ellsworth Coop in Ellsworth, reported that this year’s harvest for the area will be about 60-65% of an average crop. Yields also vary widely in the area with reports coming in from 7-60 bushels an acre. Prior to the rains the test weights were 61-63 pounds per bushel, but now the range is from 55-58 pounds per bushel. 

Richard Kvasnicka, a farmer from Winona, reports that his harvest is around halfway complete. Winona has seen about 8” of rain since June, so Kvasnicka said that he has has had to take multiple days off in order to let his fields dry up. He is getting around 15-20 bushels an acre, with the exception of his crop that was hailed out in June, and has seen some field insect kernel damage. Test weights are 58 pounds per bushel. Kvasnicka said, “This year the wheat is standing a little bit taller for us in comparison with last year, but so are the weeds.”

Thank you for reading the 2014 Kansas Wheat Harvest Report, which is brought to you by Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and Kansas Grain and Feed Association. See you next year!