ST. LOUIS — Seven of the 12 Top Quality Awards given in the 2024 National Wheat Yield Contest (NWYC) went to winning growers who planted WestBred® Wheat brand varieties.
“Yield and quality awards are a combination of good crop management plus the right variety selection, and we congratulate the 2024 NWYC winners,” said Carrie Roach, WestBred Wheat marketing manager. “From genetic selection and crossing decisions to breeder trials, from field management plots to certified seed production — a seven to 10-year process — nothing moves forward in the WestBred Wheat variety development pipeline unless it meets, or exceeds, high standards for yield potential and end-use quality.”
The NWYC Top Quality Awards were selected based on wheat grain samples submitted by the 2024 national yield winners that were tested for end-use quality. A panel of industry experts evaluated the results and selected the quality award winners. WestBred Wheat varieties earning awards are part of a product portfolio of strong performance potential and grain quality. Top Quality Award winners include:
Hard Red Spring
- Dale Flikkema of Bozeman, Montana, with WB9668 and a yield of 113.74 Bu/A, was the second-place yield winner in the dryland category.
- Bruce and Helle Ruddenklau of Amity, Oregon, with WB9668 and a yield of 106.95 Bu/A, was the third-place yield winner in the dryland category.
- Austin Kautzman of Mott, North Dakota, with WB9606 and a 147.01% increase over the county average with his final yield of 90.13 Bu/A, was the second place percentage yield increase winner in the dryland category.
Hard White Spring
- Dallin Wilcox of Rexburg, Idaho, with WB7589 and a yield of 169.94 Bu/A, was the first-place yield winner in the irrigated category.
Hard Red Winter
- David Ebers of Wellston, Oklahoma, with WB4422 and a 350.52% increase over the county average with a final yield of 136.42 Bu/A, was the first-place yield percent increase winner in the dryland category.
Soft White Wheat
- Oree Reynolds of Castleford, Idaho, with WB1621 and a yield of 220.81 Bu/A, was the first-place yield winner in the irrigated category.
- Jess Blatchford of Baker City, Oregon, with WB6341 and a yield of 174.74 Bu/A, was the Bin Buster winner in the irrigated category.
“Consistent, high-end grain quality is important for maintaining domestic and global markets,” Roach said. “The WestBredWheat brand is committed to working with industry organizations, millers and bakers to set targets in our variety breeding and development programs to ensure our products meet industry expectations for quality and have the yield potential to help growers be successful. The list of winning varieties in the NWYC is a great place for wheat growers to start their variety selection process for the next crop.”
View the full list of 2024 NWYC Top Quality Award winners here.
Looking Forward to the 2025 NWYC
WestBred Wheat is a proud annual sponsor of the National Wheat Yield Contest, which helps illustrate the importance of variety selection and input management in wheat to achieve outstanding performance and demonstrates the innovative agronomics and productivity of U.S. wheat growers. The brand encourages farmers interested in competing in the 2025 contest to contact their WestBred seed supplier or local WestBred representative. Additional information can be found at WestBred.com.
About WestBred
WestBred Wheat provides seed suppliers and their growers access to a high yield potential wheat seed as well as testing, education, resources and experienced representatives to help maximize their yield potential.
