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July 21, 2010

Kansas wheat yield, quality above average

AP

Parson, Kansas — Although there are still a few acres remaining to cut in the 2010 Kansas wheat harvest, so far, farmers, elevator operators, millers and bakers all appear to be quite pleased with the yield and quality of this year's crop.

According to the monthly Crops Report issued by the Kansas Agricultural Statistics office on July 9, the 2010 crop should total 369 million bushels, the same production that farmers had in 2009. However, Kansas farmers harvested just 8.2 million acres, down 600,000 from last year. That makes the final average yield 45 bushels per acre, the fifth highest yield on record. The report estimates that average yield ranged from 34 bushels per acre in east central Kansas, to 51 bushels per acre in southwest Kansas. Based on the 2010 Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, farmers experienced yield ranges from 15 bushels per acre averages in areas of south central Kansas to over 85 bushels per acre in areas of western Kansas.

The Kansas wheat harvest exceeded most expectations for quality. Quality Reports distributed by Kansas State University's Grain Science and Industry indicate that farmers in the southern half of the state exceeded the industry's two main quality benchmarks: 60 pounds per bushel test weight and 12 percent protein, by producing wheat that averaged 61 pounds per bushel and 12.5 percent protein. Northern Kansas farmers harvested a crop that averaged about 11.7 percent protein and 60 pounds per bushel.

Mark Fowler, director of the International Grains Program at Kansas State University, says the quality figures from the 2010 crop are promising.

"Millers prefer high test weight wheat because it is more efficient to process. Bakers appreciate high protein wheat in blends, as those protein levels can improve the quality of the overall product," he says.

Justin Gilpin, chief executive officer of Kansas Wheat, says the 2010 harvest is indicative of the kinds of yields Kansas wheat producers can achieve when they do a good job of managing the crop. Applying adequate fertilizer and micronutrients, and using fungicides and herbicides as necessary can pay off in the long run. 

"Despite pressure from stripe and leaf rust in many areas of Kansas this year, the state's farmers were able to capitalize on good management skills and use the products at their disposal to produce an above average crop in terms of yield and quality. The success of this crop is a testament to Kansas farmers' expertise in wheat production," Gilpin says.

According to USDA's Economic Research Service, the U.S. will have 973 million bushels of wheat on hand at the end of the 2009-10 marketing year; the highest total since 1987-88. However, adverse weather conditions in Canada and Russia have decreased the expected production in those two key wheat-growing regions. World wheat production, according to ERS, is forecast at 600.8 million tons, about 19 million tons lower than last year.

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Kansas wheat yield, quality above average
by Anonymous , AP , Wed Jul 21, 2010, 09:52 AM CDT
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