Kansas Wheat

"Wheat was and is the crop of first importance. It is the backbone of our economy and has made Kansas famous around the world." --Erich Freuhauf (KSHS Wheat in Kansas Lesson Plan)

The Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service reported today that 84 percent of the wheat acreage in our state had been cut before rains over the July 4th weekend shut down the harvest.

Besides the nickname, "The Sunflower State," Kansas is also known as "The Wheat State" or "The Breadbasket of the World." About 25 percent of the U.S. hard red winter wheat harvest is grown in Kansas.

"Nearly one-fifth of all wheat grown in the United States is grown in Kansas. Kansas ranks first in the nation in flour milling, wheat gluten production and wheat stored. Roughly one-third of Kansas' 63,000 farmers grow wheat. Normally, Kansas farmers produce about 400 million bushels of wheat a year, with a production value that hovers around $1 billion." [from: Kansas Dept. of Agriculture]

Wheat is a vital part of our economy, culture and history. Below are links to information on Kansas wheat provided by various state and federal agencies.

Kansas Wheat Commission
http://www.kswheat.com/
(The Kansas Wheat Commission is a grower-funded, grower-governed wheat products advocacy organization)
Their site includes:
--Educational Materials
--Information for Buyers and Processors
--Information for Consumers
--Information for Wheat Producers
--Just For Kids
--Kansas Bakeries Directory
--Kansas Wheat Blog
--News
--Online Videos
--Photo Gallery
--Recipes
--Straw Art
--Wheat Facts
--Wheat Mania: All About Wheat

Wheat Page
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/wheatpage/
(Kansas State University Research and Extension)

Wheat People: Celebrating Kansas Harvest
http://www.kshs.org/exhibits/wheat/wheat.htm
(An online exhibit provided by the Kansas State Historical Society)

Kansas Memory: Wheat
http://www.kansasmemory.org/category/14
(Digitized primary sources provided by the Kansas State Historical Society)

Kansas Wheat History
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Kansas/Publications/Crops/whthist.pdf (2009 publication by Kansas Agricultural Statistics cooperating with the Kansas Dept. of Agriculture)

Winter Wheat in the Golden Belt of Kansas
http://www.skyways.org/orgs/fordco/malin/
(A transcription of a 1944 history of wheat in Kansas agriculture written by James C. Malin)

Kansas Wheat (FaceBook)
http://www.facebook.com/kansaswheat
(A FaceBook page that promotes wheat growing and growers in the Sunflower State)

Article contact: Bill Sowers
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