By Andi Anderson
Michigan has emerged as one of the nation’s top wheat producers in 2025, ranking fourth overall according to new U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. The state’s wheat harvest reached over 44 million bushels, averaging 90 bushels per acre nearly double the national average and a new record in Michigan’s history, the Michigan Wheat Program reported.
Dennis Pennington, Wheat Specialist with Michigan State University Extension, attributed the record yield to favorable growing conditions throughout the season.
"We have a unique climate here in the Great Lakes state that allows us to grow good quality, high yielding wheat," Pennington told WCMU. "Growers were able to get the crop planted on time, we had very little winter kill, there were some pockets of drought that were temporary here and there, but overall it didn't impact the crop that much."
Michigan also ranks second nationally for soft winter wheat, the primary species grown in the region. This red and white soft wheat is used across the United States in baked goods, including cookies and pastries.
“For many years, Michigan’s average wheat yield was in the mid-70 bushel per acre range. We, the board of the Michigan Wheat Program, have been funding research to make a difference in yields across the state," said Jeffery Krohn, chair of the Michigan Wheat Program Board of Directors.
The Michigan Wheat Program collaborates closely with MSU Extension and local millers to support farmers through research and education. Pennington emphasized the importance of this collective effort in improving yields over time.
"We always work collectively together to try to understand what each other's needs are," Pennington said. "Identify research that needs to be done to help answer a question or figure out a problem we're having, and then so that we can move together as an industry."
Photo Credit: istock-zhaojiankang
Categories: Michigan, Crops, Wheat