Kansas wheat harvest report

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This is Day 4 of the 2014 Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and the Kansas Grain and Feed Association.

During the weekend, harvest has started inching across the state again. Farmers went hard this weekend, trying to be ahead of Sunday evening thunderstorms. Statewide, farmers are still fighting low yields and short plants.

At Central Prairie Coop in Sterling, Lee Burgess reports that across the cooperative’s 15 branches, just over 2 million bushels have been brought in as of yesterday. Average yields in the area are varying. Burgess said that he has heard of some harvesting in single digits, but the average is somewhere between 30-40 bushels per acre. Right now the test weights are running between 59-63 pounds per bushel. Burgess reports that there is nothing of concern for dockage, but he has seen some green berries and weed pressure.

Burgess said, “I am hoping for around 60% of our five year average. Right now, we have about 30%. We’re only about halfway done now, so we still have time.”

On the western side of the state, Mike Schmidt, of Skyland Grain in Johnson, said that this year’s harvest may be a little better than last year. He reports that farmers are getting higher yields than they had expected. This year’s test weights in the area are averaging about 62-63 pounds per bushel and are more consistent than last year’s crop. Schmidt estimates harvest will wrap up in the area in about a week to a week-and-a-half.

David Radenberg, a wheat farmer from Claflin, said that the first field he harvested averaged only about 2 bushels an acre, due to winterkill. As he has started cutting other fields, he has seen an improvement in yields to about 30-40 bushels an acre. His wheat has an average of 62 pounds per bushel test weight and has a moisture content of about 11%. He also reports that although the grain in the area is ready to be harvested, he has noticed that the straw is very tough and there’s an influx of weeds due to the late rains.

Shane Eck, from Mid-Kansas Coop in Lindsborg, says that this year’s harvest will be about 50% of total from last year. He adds that last year was a better than average harvest for the area. So far, he estimated that they are 20% done and have brought in around 140,000 bushels. Farmers are cutting the better wheat, and the average yield so far is around 30 bushels an acre. Test weights are holding at just over 60 pounds per bushel, and in the southern part of the territory, tests are showing a protein content range of 12-14.

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