Northern Kansas Wheat Yield Projected Below Average Amid Drought Stress
Crop scouts participating in the Wheat Quality Council's annual tour of Kansas have reported a significant decline in projected wheat yields for the northern half of the state. The survey, which examined 187 fields between Manhattan and Colby, estimated an average yield of 38.3 bushels per acre (bpa) for hard red winter wheat. This figure is notably below the five-year tour average of 45.7 bpa and last year's estimate of 50.5 bpa. Severe drought conditions, coupled with extreme weather events such as freezes and high temperatures, have caused the wheat plants to mature prematurely, impacting both yield and protein quality. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has forecast Kansas' 2026 wheat harvest at 214.6 million bushels, marking the second-smallest crop since 1989. Observations from the tour revealed widespread drought stress, with yellowed and stunted wheat stands across the region. 
