Winter wheat, a crop once almost unheard of in Wisconsin, is taking root in America's Dairyland even as other states are growing less of it.
Wisconsin farmers planted 280,000 acres of winter wheat for the current growing season, double the total in 2000. The reason: simple economics.
"It's a good cash crop. That's the name of the game," said Howard Delsman, who raises it northwest of Manitowoc.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wisconsin farmers got $1.85 per bushel for winter wheat grain in 2000, but that increased to $2.85 in 2005, the last year for which figures are available. In the same time period, production has gone up from nearly 8.4 million bushels to more than 17.9 million last year.
Grain from winter wheat often is used for making pastries, and straw produced from the plant is also sold. Wisconsin growers have two built-in markets within the state's dairy industry for that byproduct - as bedding for cows and as a feed additive.
"It's easy to grow and easy to manage," said John Gaska, a University of Wisconsin agronomist. "It's looking pretty good, economically."
Winter wheat can be grown in Wisconsin - even though its farm fields freeze during the winter - because the crop goes dormant after initial growth in the fall, Gaska said. The grain comes out of dormancy in early or mid-April and the crop is harvested in mid-July.
The increase in Wisconsin's winter wheat crop since 2000 came even as the number of acres of winter wheat planted nationwide dropped from 62.5 million acres to 57.3 million last year, and production dropped from 2.2 billion bushels to 1.8 billion.
"Those reduced yields are reflected in the higher prices," Gaska said. "The prices are set based on the crop grown in the West, where most of the winter wheat is grown in the United States."
The main reason for the reduction in winter wheat planting and production nationally is a switch toward corn and soybeans, which are treated more favorably under federal farm policies, said Allan Fritz, a professor in Kansas State University's Department of Agronomy. Another factor has been drought conditions in areas favorable to the crop, he said.
Ed Montsma, who farms in Fond du Lac County in eastern Wisconsin, said his rotation of the wheat with corn and soybeans improves his soil.
"It's a lot cheaper (in the cost of labor, fertilizer, herbicide and fuel) to raise winter wheat than to raise corn, and about the same cost as it is for soybeans," he said.
Winter wheat straw has been used on dairy farms for bedding animals for a number of years, Delsman said.
Some dairy farmers also mix ground-up straw into feed for cows and heifers.
"It adds bulk and dilutes energy, reducing the calories the animals consume," said dairy cow nutritionist Steven Woodford of Sheboygan Falls.
The straw also is used for mulch by vegetable growers and spread over newly planted grass by landscapers, Gaska said.
Only a few thousand acres of spring wheat are planted in Wisconsin, primarily in the far north, where farmers are unable to rotate winter wheat with other crops, Gaska said. It is harvested at the same time as winter wheat, in mid-July, he said.
The winter wheat grown in Wisconsin and generally marketed through grain elevators or cooperatives is a variety primarily used in pastries, while the spring wheat grown in the state is used primarily in breads, Gaska said.
Wisconsin's generally mild recent winters do not seem to be a major factor in boosting the state's winter wheat crop, he said, although weather has had an effect.
Nancy Kavazanjian, who raises winter wheat with her husband in the DeForest area, said alternating warming and freezing caused significant winterkill of her crop two years ago.
Gaska said he has not heard any reports of winterkill this year, and Montsma said a late February warm spell before several rounds of heavy snowfall has not raised his concern.
"It didn't come out of dormancy," he said. "The snow now is insulating it. I think we're in great shape."
Winter wheat can be grown in Wisconsin because the crop goes dormant after initial growth in the fall. The grain comes out of dormancy in early or mid-April, and the crop is harvested in mid-July.Pioneer Press
