MUSCOTAH, Kan. — Winter wheat farmers in surrounding Kansas City metro counties are benefiting from recent rainfall.
"Kansas is known for high-quality protein wheat," said Jay Armstrong, a farmer from Atchison County, Kansas.
Winter wheat is planted in September and October and harvested in the spring. For winter wheat to reach its full potential, it must germinate and freeze once, which is called vernalization. Winter wheat requires a snow blanket to provide cover from frigid winter wind.
"If that doesn't happen, it won't grow a wheat head."
Kansas primarily plants winter wheat. Spring wheat is planted in the northern Great Plains region of the United States, a variety that doesn't require vernalization to mature.
"The one that Kansas is known for is Hard Red winter wheat. Which just celebrated its 150th anniversary of being brought over by Russian immigrants," explained Armstrong.
Armstrong is growing "soft wheat" which is used to make cakes and crackers. It is also the same variety used to brew beer at Boulevard Brewing in Kansas City. Armstrong's Muscotah, Kansas farm produces wheat that is made into Cheez-It snack crackers.
"If mother nature allows, I think we can have a good bumper crop here," Armstrong said.
The weather has cooperated in the last month, providing over four inches of rainfall in Atchison County, according to KSHB 41's meteorology team.
"By having adequate moisture now, when the wheat comes out of dormancy next March. It'll be able to get up and grow, to make for a good wheat crop."
Numerous factors impact the price consumers pay at the grocery store including the weather, international conflict, and exports. The weather is a leading factor in worldwide markets.
"Farmers, marketers, end users, the people that make the commodities we eat every day at the grocery store are all watching this global weather supply and what that truly means for the marketplace," said Don Villwok, a farmer visiting from Indiana. "The U.S. is one of the largest producers of wheat and Brazil is the largest producer of Soybeans...The kind of yields we get is all dependent on the weather."
Armstrong says the way mother nature is producing adequate moisture now, consumers purchasing Cheez-It products or wheat beer, should be minimally affected. Following Armstrong's winter wheat harvest in March, he will get back into row crop production.
"It puts a lot of organic matter back into the soil," said Armstrong. "That is an economic incentive to plant wheat. Farmers have a whole lot of reason for planting what they do.... it brings in money in the middle of the year and helps with cash flow... you have to produce to make up for what the price is. The problem is more production just keeps the price down."
Armstrong and farmers alike will remain optimistic with favorable conditions. While favorable conditions can mean profit at harvest, the consumer remains their top priority.
"Farmers can still feed the world," he added. "I will nurture this crop."
For more information on the use of wheat products in day-to-day consumer items, click here.
KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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