Great Lakes YEN celebrates high winter wheat yields in 2023

Nov 06, 2023

Farmers achieve impressive results in the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network competition

The Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) has announced the winners of the 2022-2023 competition, showcasing impressive achievements in winter wheat yields.

This collaborative effort between Grain Farmers of Ontario, Michigan State University, Michigan Wheat Program, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the University of Guelph has proven instrumental in fostering knowledge exchange among farmers.

In its third year, the Great Lakes YEN project continues to empower farmers with innovative methods to enhance their winter wheat yields. Winners of this year's competition will have the opportunity to connect and share their successful farming practices with peers during wrap-up meetings scheduled for January.

The top performers in the Great Lakes YEN competition for the highest yield potential include Mark Davis from Ontario with an impressive 117.6%, followed by Jeffery Krohn and Wallace Loewen from Michigan, both achieving 107.2%.

Additionally, the highest yield achievers were Jeff Cook from Ontario, boasting an outstanding 173.4 bushels per acre, followed closely by Nick Suwyn from Michigan with 171.43 bushels per acre and Jeffery Krohn, also from Michigan, with 167.1 bushels per acre.

In a media release, Paul Hoekstra, Vice President of Strategic Development at Grain Farmers of Ontario, expressed appreciation for the knowledge and insights gained through the Great Lakes YEN project. He commended the achievements of the participants and looked forward to further advancements in the coming years.

Despite some challenges brought by unseasonably cool spring temperatures and a lack of rainfall in May and June, Great Lakes YEN participants increased this year's average yield by two bushels per acre, reaching an impressive 118 bushels per acre. Favorable fall planting conditions set the stage for a successful growing season.

Jody Pollok-Newsom, Executive Director of the Michigan Wheat Program, emphasized the importance of yield monitoring and data sharing among farmers. The detailed reports and networking opportunities provided by the Great Lakes YEN enable farmers to enhance their winter wheat yields and make informed decisions for the future.

The Great Lakes YEN project continues to drive innovation and excellence in winter wheat production, celebrating the resilience and dedication of farmers in the region.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.