Winners announced for 2024 Michigan Wheat Yield Contest

Michigan’s “Wheat Warriors” for the 2024 harvest have been announced!  The top growers for red and white winter wheat, irrigated and dryland, were honored for their production excellence at the Michigan Wheat Program’s 14^th annual Winter Grower Meeting.

Winners in 2024 Michigan Wheat Yield Contest

Dryland Soft White Winter Wheat

#1 – Jeff Krohn, Huron County at 170.1 bu./acre   (surpassing his 2023 2^nd place yield at 167.1/acre)

#2 – Randy Eschenburg, Lapeer County at 146.2 bu./acre

Dryland Soft Red Winter Wheat

#1 – Nick Suwyn, Barry County at 156.5 bu./acre

#2 – Dick Suwyn, Barry County, at 153.6 bu./acre

#3 – Nick Suwyn, Barry County, at 150.0 bu./acre

Irrigated Soft Red Winter Wheat

#1 – Nick Suwyn, Barry County at 174.0 bu./acre  (up from his 2023 1^st place  yield at 171.1 bu./acre)

Michigan’s Overall Winner

Nick Suwyn, Barry County for his Irrigated Soft Red Winter Wheat yield  at 174.0 bu./acre

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The Michigan Wheat Program Board congratulates all of these 2024 Wheat Warriors!

Join the challenge and sign up for the 2025 contest!  Michigan wheat growers feeling the competitive spirit should sign up now for the 2025 National Wheat Foundation Yield Contest. To enter the national contest and for complete rules click here. https://www.wheatcontest.org/assets/2024%20National%20Wheat%20Yield%20Contest%20Rules.pdf   Once you enter the National Wheat Yield Contest, you will automatically be entered into the Michigan contest.

There is a fee of $100 per entry for the National Wheat Yield Contest and you must register by May 15 to participate in the winter wheat categories.  Many companies will cover a grower’s registration cost, so please check with your suppliers before submitting your registration.

Updated Rules and Procedures for 2025 Michigan Wheat Yield Contest

Changes for 2025 were made by the Michigan Wheat Program Board of Directors. They include narrowing the categories to irrigated and non-irrigated without breaking out red and white wheat and several other changes detailed below.

Entries through the National Wheat Foundation and also Michigan growers participating in the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network will both be in the running for the Michigan Yield Contest. There will be one highest overall yield winner for the state and a winner in irrigated and non-irrigated. Those three winners will earn a trip to the 2026 Great Lakes Crop Summit held in January at Soaring Eagle.

Purpose

The purpose of the MI Wheat Yield Contest is to promote and encourage wheat growers to seek ways to increase wheat yields in Michigan.  This program follows the goals set forth in the National Wheat Yield Contest but will be administered locally at the state level and was updated in early 2025 to better fit the state’s needs.

Rules

1. The entry process, reporting and data collection will be conducted via the National Wheat Yield Contest system with online entry forms and data submission.
2. When you enter the national contest, you are automatically entered in the Michigan contest.
3. All national rules and deadlines including entry and harvest rules as well as grain quality sample submission must be followed. National rules are attached as Appendix A.
4. There will be no additional cost to enter the Michigan contest. National contest fees are $100 per entry.  All fees are collected using the online system developed by the national program.
5. In Michigan, there will be two categories which are: Dryland and irrigated wheat.
6. All data reporting requirements for the national contest must be followed for agronomic and yield data.
7. Michigan growers participating in the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network will also automatically be entered into the Michigan Wheat Yield Contest.
8. Winners for the Michigan contest will be determined by their bushel per acre yield – NOT by percent of county average as winners are selected for the National Wheat Yield Contest and not by percentage of yield potential as winners are selected for the Great Lakes YEN contest. Michigan will recognize an overall winner and the top grower in each category, for a total of three winners.
9. The three winners will each:
   1. receive a trip to the Great Lakes Crop Summit for themselves and their spouses;
   2. be recognized at the annual Michigan Wheat Program Annual Meeting; and
   3. receive a plaque.