Duck-friendly winter wheat becomes a top cash crop in Manitoba

Jun 01, 2023

Stephane Lapointe has been growing winter wheat for over 20 years but the most recent harvest exceeded his expectations, in a big way.

“2022 was pretty much a record yield for us,” he says, as the April sun finally melts snow drifting across his land southwest of Neepawa. “With the help of DUC, Western Ag and proper soil sampling, we were able to produce an average of 97 bushels per acre with some zones pushing close to 120.”

High yields and strong prices are contributing to another surge in winter wheat production in Manitoba with 77,400 acres seeded last fall, up from 73,400 in 2022, 55,900 acres in 2021 and 32,000 acres in 2020. Producers are finding new varieties including Goldrush and Wildfire are top earners, even when prices are average.

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