Spokane County Grower Takes Second Place in Washington in National Wheat Yield Contest
January 10, 2017
Grower credits achievement to WestBred® wheat variety
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 10, 2017 – WestBred® wheat is proud to announce Spokane County wheat grower, David Gross, won second place in Washington in the National Wheat Yield Contest Winter Wheat—Irrigated category. The competition, organized by the National Wheat Foundation, champions yield-maximizing practices employed by innovative wheat growers. Gross placed second in the state after a yield increase of 198.7 percent over the most recent USDA-NASS published county average data.
Gross achieved a yield of 185.19 bushels per acre with WestBred variety KELDIN.
“I decided to enter the NWYC because last year we had a really good yield with KELDIN that we were excited about for this year,” said Gross.
More than 170 individual growers across wheat-growing counties in the United States entered to compete in four categories: irrigated winter wheat, dryland winter wheat, irrigated spring wheat and dryland spring wheat.
The National Wheat Yield Contest recognized national winners in each category as well as the top three state winners per category. Winners were determined by evaluating the yield percentage increase above the USDA-NASS county averages. The inaugural contest encouraged growers to innovate, exchange knowledge and employ the newest available technology.
“Before we raise any variety, we test it in our own lab to see milling and baking qualities on it. KELDIN passed the quality test, so we switched most of our wheat over because of what we saw on the quality and on the yield. We’ve used other varieties that have had the quality, but not the yield that KELDIN has,” Gross said.
Gross credits the variety planted and the fungicide techniques used for his win.
“I believe one of the key factors to our wheat yield success was continuously scouting and spraying for fungicides and maintaining plant health,” said Gross.
As a sponsor of the National Wheat Yield Contest, WestBred wheat provides growers with opportunities to succeed in the wheat industry and avenues to exchange successful techniques.
“Innovative techniques, high-performing seed varieties and cutting-edge production practices make planting wheat a more attractive option for growers,” said John Fietsam, Wheat Technical Product Lead for Monsanto.
With commodity prices of wheat fluctuating, growers today need to look for ways to maximize their yield and profit potential, and WestBred wheat is committed to providing solutions for growers.
“Through this contest, we’ve learned different management techniques growers are employing to maximize the proportion of genetic yield potential they harvest from their wheat seed investment,” said Fietsam. “By harnessing the benefits of new technology, the best wheat genetics and innovative production practices, the winning growers have shown the boundaries of wheat yields can be pushed.”
To register for the 2017 National Wheat Yield Contest, growers can visit yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.org. The registration deadline for winter wheat is May 1, 2017, and the deadline for spring wheat is August 1, 2017.
Wheat growers interested in competing in the contest can also contact their WestBred seed supplier or local WestBred representative. Additional details can be found at www.westbred.com.
About WestBred Wheat
WestBred wheat provides seed suppliers and their growers access to the highest yield potential wheat seed, as well as testing, education, resources and experienced representatives to help maximize their yield potential.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. WestBred and Design® and WestBred® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. ©2017 Monsanto Company.
