WestBred® Wheat Growers Win State Yield Awards Across All Yield Contest Categories
November 18, 2018
Growers from 10 states are among the nation’s top yielders in winter and spring wheat irrigated and dryland
ST. LOUIS (Nov. 20, 2018) – From Texas to Washington state, WestBred® wheat growers had some of the nation's highest wheat yields in 2018. Now, they're being recognized by the National Wheat Foundation (NWF) for their outstanding achievements.
Now in its third year, the National Wheat Yield Contest (NWYC), organized by the NWF, received 318 entries from 23 wheat-producing states. Entrants were judged in two primary categories: spring wheat and winter wheat, and two subcategories: dryland and irrigated wheat. WestBred growers had winning yields across all four categories, and the winners hailed from 10 states that account for 77 percent of the U.S. wheat-planted area in 2018.
“The diversity of this year’s state yield winners shows the diversity of available WestBred wheat products,” says Dr. Jeff Koscelny, Bayer Crop Science Global Wheat Commercial Strategy Lead and WestBred Business Lead. “We’re proud they trust WestBred varieties to help them grow an abundant, quality wheat crop. While the geographic distance that separates them is large, this high number of grower winners is confirmation that our commitment to testing, education and agronomic support has a huge impact on achieving maximum wheat yield potential.”
The 2018 NWYC WestBred state winners are:
Winter Wheat – Irrigated
- Duane Dutra, 1st Place, Calif., 157.15 Bu/A with WB9350
- Ken Horton, 1st Place, Kan., 111.28 Bu/A with WB-CEDAR*
- Matt Horton, 2nd Place, Kan., 106.5 Bu/A with WB4269
- Richard Seck, 3rd Place, Kan., 107.22 Bu/A with WB4303
- Brock Terrell, 1st Place, Neb., 106.72 Bu/A with WB4303*
- Brett Sorensen, 2nd Place, Neb., 105.84 Bu/A with WB4462
- Lawrence Pedro, 1st Place, Ore., 194.41 Bu/A with WB4303*
- Mark Pedro, 2nd Place, Ore., 177.34 Bu/A with KELDIN
- David Gross, 1st Place, Wash., 154.51 Bu/A with WB4311*
Winter Wheat – Dryland
- Doug Stout, 1st Place, Idaho, 162.8 Bu/A with a RIMROCK and KELDIN blend
- Dave Duncan, 2nd Place, Idaho, 120.77 Bu/A with WB1529
- Kyle Duncan, 3rd Place, Idaho, 114.62 Bu/A with WB1529
- Jerome Wiens, 3rd Place, Kan., 59.63 Bu/A with WB4303
- Tony Brateng, 1st Place, Minn., 78.36 Bu/A with WB-Matlock
- Randy Bokma, 1st Place, Mont., 123.59 Bu/A with KELDIN*
- Glenn Todd, 2nd Place, Mont., 109.55 Bu/A with KELDIN
- Robert Grubb, 3rd Place, Mont., 104.44 Bu/A with KELDIN
- Todd Hoff, 2nd Place, N.D., 56.93 Bu/A with WB4462
- Jesse Green, 1st Place, Okla., 112.69 Bu/A with WB4303*
- Adam Steinert, 3rd Place, Okla., 51.86 Bu/A with WB4515
- Tim Sulak, 1st Place, Texas, 106.21 Bu/A with WB4303
Spring Wheat – Irrigated
- Terry Wilcox, 1st Place, Idaho, 193.38 Bu/A with WB9668*
- Alex Bishop, 1st Place, Minn., 85.53 Bu/A with WB9479*
- Monte Leidenix, 1st Place, N.D., 97.07 Bu/A with WB9479*
- Larry Carroll, 1st Place, Ore., 158.93 Bu/A with EXPRESSO*
- Dan Mills, 2nd Place, Ore., 159.65 Bu/A with WB9350
- Keith Gross, 1st Place, Wash., 172.56 Bu/A with WB9662*
- James Getzinger, 2nd Place, Wash., 177.56 Bu/A with SOLANO
Spring Wheat – Dryland
- Trevor Stout, 1st Place, Idaho, 123.26 Bu/A with a WB9668 and WB9518 blend*
- Orin Knutson, 1st Place, Minn., 104.79 Bu/A with WB9590*
- Paul Solem, 2nd Place, Minn., 102.19 Bu/A with WB9590
- Jeremy Chandler, 3rd Place, Minn., 89.25 Bu/A with WB9479
- Russell McIntosh, 2nd Place, Mont., 51.93 Bu/A with WB-GUNNISON
- Brian Schafer, 1st Place, Neb., 67.95 Bu/A with WB9653*
- Jason Beechinor, 1st Place, Wash., 115.75 Bu/A with WB6121*
* Denotes growers who are also NWYC national winners. For a complete list of national and state winners, visit WestBred.com.
Contest winners were determined by evaluating their yield percentage increase above their most recent 5-year USDA-NASS county Olympic averages.
Orin Knutson entered the National Wheat Yield Contest for the first time this year. The Minnesota grower has been farming for more than 30 years but says he never exceeded the 100 Bu/A mark — until he tried WB9590.
“For a variety to work out like this, it’s just a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Knutson says. “It had very strong vigor, a beautiful stand and good protein, and the yield held up on it too. I already have 700 acres of seed ordered for next year, and I’d recommend that anyone take a look at WB9590. It helped me to do something I never thought could be done.”
Looking Forward to NWYC 2019
As an industry leader, WestBred wheat is proud to again sponsor the National Wheat Yield Contest in 2019 to showcase U.S. wheat production and wheat grower productivity and profitability. Growers interested in competing in the contest can contact their WestBred seed supplier or local WestBred representative.
Additional details can be found at www.westbred.com/NWYC. Official rules and entry deadlines will be available in January 2019.
