The official results are in for quality testing for the U.S. hard red winter (HRW) crop, and Kansas Wheat is set to share the story of this past year’s growing season with global buyers by participating in the annual Crop Quality Seminars organized by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW). 

“The Kansas HRW crop this year is performing very well with solid milling and baking quality despite the challenges of consecutive growing seasons,” said Justin Gilpin, Kansas Wheat CEO. “The analysis in the 2024 U.S. Crop Quality Report contains good news for us to share with global customers looking to produce high-quality wheat foods.” 

USW is the export market development organization for the U.S. wheat industry, helping promote HRW and the other five U.S. wheat classes to wheat buyers, millers, bakers, food processors and government officials in more than 100 countries around the world. As part of that work and a commitment to transparency, USW produces an annual U.S. Crop Quality Report that includes grade, flour, dough, and baking data for five of six U.S. wheat classes. The report provides essential, objective information to help buyers get the wheat they need at the best value possible.

To produce the annual report, USW compiles comprehensive data from analyzing hundreds of samples conducted during and after harvest by partner organizations and laboratories. USW also shares more detailed, regional reports for all six U.S. wheat classes and Desert Durum® on its website, as well as additional information on sample and collection methods, solvent retention capacity (SRC) recommendations, standard deviation tables and more.

For this year’s report, 575 HRW samples were collected from grain elevators in 40 reporting areas. According to the report, the Gulf-exportable crop experienced variable conditions, including persistent early dryness that resulted in slightly smaller kernels and mid-season moisture that boosted yields and test weights. 

This year’s data showed the crop is greatly improved over previous years, including a balance of protein, strong grade characteristics and good milling properties. According to the report, “Overall, this crop meets or exceeds typical HRW contract specifications and should provide high value to customers.”

Now that the analysis is complete and the report is published, the focus shifts to the annual series of Crop Quality Seminars, during which USW and teams of farmers and wheat quality experts present the results and have conversations directly with customers in their home markets. Gilpin is set to attend presentations in South and Southeast Asia. Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations, and Mike McClellan, a Rooks County farmer who serves on the Kansas Wheat Commission, will participate in seminars in South America.

“USW’s annual crop quality seminars are essential for building trust and strengthening relationships with our global customers,” Gilpin said. “By providing timely and accurate information during these face-to-face meetings, we emphasize the reliability of Kansas wheat for their needs through an open market they can count on.”