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The Michigan Wheat Program (MWP) Board has been looking to the future as our research program has grown and developed, since first being voted in by farmers in 2011. One of those areas experiencing exponential growth is the number of variety releases.
In 2012, the MWP was involved with Michigan State University in the interview process to hire Dr. Eric Olson as the new wheat breeder. He has brought much excitement, energy and enthusiasm to the position. He’s also grown the program from a new variety released every few years to multiple releases each year.
The MWP Board has been in negotiations with MSU Technologies for several years to develop a fair and equitable agreement in which the MWP can assist with the commercialization of new varieties. The goal of our partnership is to build a pipeline for the increase in wheat varieties available under Olson’s robust wheat breeding program.
To share information with the seed industry, a first-of-its-kind event, the Variety Release Virtual Field Day was held June 9, 2021.
This program provided information on the varieties already available and those coming down the pipeline. Another highlight of the program was an overview from MSU on the process, timeline and expectations for licensing a variety.
(Click on individual varieties for fact sheets.) (Links coming soon)
Soft Red Winter Wheat
Soft White Winter Wheat
(Click on individual varieties for fact sheets.) (Links coming soon)
Soft Red Winter Wheat (first year commercial testing)
Soft White Winter Wheat (second year commercial testing)
The Michigan Wheat Program is a state-check off program voted in by the state’s wheat farmers to assess each bushel of wheat grown and sold. The funds from the program are utilized to further the wheat industry in the state benefitting the state’s nearly 8,000 wheat farmers who grow about 450,000 acres of wheat annually producing about a 40 million bushel crop.