Resources & Events
With research as our cornerstone, we want to ensure that the results are disseminated to Kentucky's small grain growers. KySGGA supports a number of farmer education initiatives and events, provides unique educational opportunities, as well as directs farmers to the latest production information.
Wheat growers interested in becoming part of the ground-breaking Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network can begin registering now, so they don’t lose out on the 2024 opportunity to learn more about their wheat crop and how to hit their yield potential.
The collaborative project “Bringing Rye Back to Kentucky” is up and running! Please find the inaugural rye newsletter, prepared by Dr. Ela Szuleta, our field coordinator.
The U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI) is pleased to announce the publishing of its 2023 Fusarium Head Blight Disease Impact Update. This year, commentary from experts in 31 states indicated FHB did not impact grain yield or quality for most growers in the U.S., including Kentucky.
“This is a great example of the work NAWG does on behalf of wheat growers and all farmers in the U.S. NAWG became the lead plaintiff in this case over 6 years ago to ensure science based decisions are made based on facts, not the work of billboard lawyers.”
We have a new highest overall yield reported in the contest at 143.42 bushels per acre. This 2023 No-Till State Champion wheat entry from Jason Crisp in McLean County followed soybeans. Camron, Clay and Mark Wells in Union County reported the second-highest overall yield ever at 139.64 bushels per acre with the 2023 Tillage State Champion. The Wells Brothers also reported the third-highest yield ever at 135.80 bushels per acre. The previous highest yield ever reported (now 4th highest ever) was from Keith Hendrickson in Union County in 2015 with 134.27 bushels per acre. That was followed by the 2022 state champion, S & J Emmick in Hancock County at 132.68 bushels per acre.
The University of Kentucky Wheat and Small Grains Variety Testing Program evaluates wheat and small grain (barley, cereal rye, oats, triticale, ancient grains) varieties that are commercially available or may soon be available to farmers. Annual variety performance testing provide farmers, seed producers, extension agents and consultants with current, unbiased information to help them select the varieties best adapted to their locality and individual requirements.
In an ongoing effort to bring production of rye grain back to Kentucky, Woodford Reserve today announced a five-year commitment to purchasing the grain from local farmers while working with the University of Kentucky to conduct research.
Wheat has not been known as a chief commodity in Kentucky due to higher production challenges when compared to corn and soybeans, but I’d encourage you to take another look.
Kentucky is known nationally for consistently growing a wheat/double-crop soybean rotation. This rotation has been a part of Kentucky agriculture for many years because of all its benefits.
Wheat is big business in the Bluegrass state. According to the Kentucky Small Grain Growers’ Association, the state’s farmers harvested 30 million bushels of winter wheat from 375,000 acres in 2022. The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Grain and Forage Center of Excellence supports the state’s wheat growers in many ways, including an annual field day. The 2023 Wheat Field Day is May 9 at the UK Research and Education Center farm in Princeton.
For wheat fields that are Feekes 5 or less advanced, these temperatures should not harm the wheat. The growing point was still below the soil surface and well protected by the soil temperatures. This is evidenced by soil surface temperatures that we recorded at University of Kentucky’s Research and Education Center in Princeton.
As the ‘meteorological’ winter ends (Dec 1 to Feb 28) for 2023, we are projected to have the warmest winter on record. This is impressive, considering the sub-zero temperatures in late December 2022. This has many people, including us, wondering: What does this mean for Kentucky’s 2023 winter wheat crop?
