2025 didn’t fit in a neat box for Kansas wheat farmers—it was “variability,” from a dry start to long stretches of wet weather that stretched harvest timelines and narrowed fieldwork windows.
Kansas Wheat Commission Chair Derek Sawyer and Kansas Association of Wheat Growers President Chris Tanner join host Aaron Harries and Kansas Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin to break down the year’s biggest storylines: how wheat checkoff dollars are invested, what advocacy work is happening in Topeka and Washington, and what’s changing in domestic and international markets.
On the market side, the conversation highlights both bright spots and headwinds—strong export pace and renewed market activity, alongside big global wheat crops pressuring prices.
The group also digs into one of the most important agronomic storylines of the year: widespread wheat streak mosaic virus pressure reaching farther across Kansas than many are used to seeing, and what that means for volunteer control, “green bridge” conversations, and variety development.
Looking to 2026, their focus stays on profitability—maximizing trade opportunities, doubling down on research and the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, and building an environment where family farms can thrive, not just survive.
