The National Wheat Foundation today announced the twelve winners of Top-Quality Awards in the 2025 National Wheat Yield Contest. The 28 National Yield Winners all sent in ten pounds of wheat which was analyzed for grain, milling, flour and end-use qualities. A panel of thirteen experts went over the results and determined which of the wheats earned the coveted, “top-quality” designation. Each Top-Quality Award recipient will receive a $250 cash prize at the Winners’ Reception on February 24, 2026, in San Antonio, held in conjunction with Commodity Classic.
The National Wheat Yield Contest is celebrating ten years, while the Top-Quality Award component marks its fourth year as part of the competition. Adding the quality component to the contest was done in response to many of our partners from wheat breeders, wheat commissions, millers, bakers and U.S. Wheat Associates who wanted to make sure the contest does not just reward high yield with no attention to the quality of the wheat being grown. “One of our priorities at the National Wheat Foundation is to demonstrate that high-yielding wheat can also be high-quality wheat,” said Brian Walker, Director of the National Wheat Foundation and a retired flour milling quality executive and consultant. “By evaluating and rewarding both yield and quality, the contest helps educate every segment of the wheat sector on why both are critical to long-term success.”
Wheat is the largest food crop in the United States and about half of the wheat we raise is exported. Our customers, both export and domestic expect US Wheat to be consistent and high quality. The contest gathers data to help better understand the three things that contribute to a wheat’s quality: genetics, environment and management. Feedback is provided to the winning contestants on the quality of their wheat. Each of the national winner’s quality analysis will be recorded into the contest database on their entry so the contestants and their trusted advisors can see exactly how their wheat performed.
“One of the very interesting things we are seeing with this quality testing is that high quality wheat varieties are demonstrating this high quality even at yield levels 2x, 3x and even 4x average yields,” Walker added. “This is a good sign that a good variety, with proper management and good environmental conditions can maintain its high quality even at very high yield levels. It is important to emphasize that good varieties matter as we have sometimes seen less desirable quality results too.”
All wheat growers are encouraged to enter the contest in 2026; the website is available now for people to create an account. Contestants will be able to start putting in 2026 entries starting in March. The National Wheat Foundation thanks US Wheat Associates for their help with the quality component and all our great partners who help make the contest possible:
John Deere, WestBred, BASF, Dyna-Gro, AgXplore, Croplan, Limagrain, U.S. Wheat Associates, The McGregor Companies, AgriMaxx, Anheuser-Busch, Ardent Mills, BNSF, Corteva, Eastman, Mennel Milling, Siemer Milling, UPL, Bushel, Climate FieldView, Grain Craft, Miller Milling, Nachurs, PlainsGold, Idaho Wheat, Kansas Wheat, Kansas Wheat Alliance, Kentucky Small Grain Growers, Michigan Wheat, Montana Grain Growers, North Carolina Small Grain Growers, Ohio Corn & Wheat, and Texas Wheat.
Progressive Farmer serves as the official publication of the National Wheat Yield Contest. The full list winners can be found Here. For more details on the National Wheat Yield Contest, visit National Wheat Yield Contest – National Wheat Foundation. For questions on partnership in the 2026 contest, contact Anne Osborne aosborne@wheatworld.org.
