The Grain and Forage Center of Excellence (GFCE) — an initiative of the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and housed at the UK Research and Education Center at Princeton — announced the winners of the 2025 Kentucky Wheat Yield Contest. 

Contest administrator and GFCE director Chad Lee said that while achieving the top yields in the state is commendable, the provided entry information helps the UK Wheat Science Group determine best practices for wheat production and grain quality. 

“When farmers participate in the Kentucky Wheat Yield Contest, the entry data allows our wheat research specialists to see what management practices are taking place to achieve the highest yield levels across the state,” Lee said. “It gives us ideas for research down the road, allowing us to ask if these practices need more study and could benefit more producers.”

Achieving the highest 2025 state yield in the no-tillage division with an average of 134.63 bushels per acre was Hunt Farms of Christian County. They planted Pioneer 25R64 variety soft red winter wheat. Hunt Farms’ yield was the second-highest yield overall in the contest’s 39-year history. 

Earning the top average yield of 114.75 bushels per acre in the tillage division was Gates Farm LLC of Henderson County. They planted Revere Reagan soft red winter wheat. 

Lee said that this was also the first time a farmer was awarded for wheat quality, an honor given to Folz Farms in Christian County. In addition to achieving a no-tillage yield of 120.57 bushels per acre using AgriMAXX 513 seed, their wheat had a test weight of 62.6 pounds, 9.3% protein and other grain characteristics that improve baking quality. 

“The quality award was added because it is important for our wheat buyers,” Lee said. “While some of the grain is used for the distilling industry, most of Kentucky’s wheat is used to produce baked goods such as biscuits, cookies and cakes. This new data will help us learn how production decisions impact the characteristics wheat buyers are looking for.”

Farms with the highest yield in each production area were also named. The Area 1 winner was Folz Farms of Christian County, achieving an average yield of 123.31 bushels per acre using Beck’s 728 seed. The Area 2 winner was S and J Emmick Farm of Hancock County, which achieved an average yield of 127.47 bushels per acre using AgriMAXX 525 seed. Area 3 had no entry due to adverse weather conditions in that region. The Area 4 winner was Wright Brothers Farms of Breckinridge County, achieving an average yield of 116.89 bushels per acre using AgriMAXX 513 seed. 

Contest winners will be honored at the Kentucky Commodity Conference in Bowling Green on January 15, 2026, where they will receive their awards. The Kentucky Wheat Yield Contest is sponsored by the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association, UK Cooperative Extension Service, Siemer Milling Company and other agribusinesses. 

For full results and more information on the Kentucky Wheat Yield Contest, visit https://graincrops.mgcafe.uky.edu/kentucky-yield-contests.

# # #

Writer: Jennifer Elwell, jennifer.elwell@uky.edu 

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.