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January 29, 2018
In This Edition:
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Free event set for Weds., March 21
Don't miss Michigan Wheat Program's 6th Annual Winter Grower Meeting! Sign up now.
Registration is underway for the Michigan Wheat Program’s 2018 Annual Winter Grower Meeting to be held Weds., March 21, at Eagle Eye Golf Course, 15500 Chandler Rd., in Bath Township.
 The day-long event features an encore keynote performance by Ontario high-management wheat specialist Peter Johnson. Another highlight is a grower panel on German wheat production, presented by Michigan wheat farmers Mike Milligan and Jeff Krohn and MSU wheat specialist Dennis Pennington. All three visited German wheat fields last summer.
Other topics to be presented include:
 High-Yield Wheat: Setting the Stage and also Management for High Yields, by Peter Johnson.- Farm Bill Update by Kyle Varner, Policy Analyst, US Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee.
- 2018 Resources Available to wheat growers by Martin Nagelkirk, MSUE wheat educator, and Dennis Pennington, MSU wheat specialist.
- A Michigan Wheat Program update including the filing of a patent by Jody Pollok-Newsom.
- A grower survey by MSU Wheat Specialist Dennis Pennington to further hone in on future research projects and grower needs.
- The ever popular wheat industry tradeshow which hosts a variety of industry displays.
- Eight RUP credits and 4 CCA credits are available in crop management and 0.5 credit in nutrient management for meeting attendees.
There is no cost to attend the 2018 Annual Winter Grower Meeting, but advance registration is required to ensure the lunch count, adequate seating and handouts.
Click here to see the full itinerary and click here to reserve your seat at this event. If you prefer not to register online, call the Michigan Wheat Program office at 1-888-WHEAT01 (888-943-2801).
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Notes from Pennington:
Fungicide application to wheat at flag leaf or T2 timing shows benefits in some years
By Dennis Pennington, MSU wheat specialist (pennin34@msu.edu)
 Disease control is one of the most important yield protection management practices for wheat growers.
The flag leaf (leaf 1), penultimate (leaf 2) and leaf 3 contribute nearly 90 percent of the photosynthates to grain yield. Keeping them free of disease is critical in maintaining high yield potential.
There are three stages in wheat development where application of fungicide may be warranted: Timing 1 is Feekes 5-6 (tillering to first joint), Timing 2 is Feekes 9 (flag) and Timing 3 is Feekes 10.5.1 (anthesis).
 Table 1 (top) shows fungicide application timing for wheat and key target diseases at each timing.
A new fungicide mix containing benzovindiflupyr, propiconazole and azoxystrobin (Trivapro, Syngenta) has been out on the market for nearly two years.
This study was established to quantify its effects on wheat grain yield when applied at the T2 or flag leaf timing. Plots were established on commercial farms and their equipment was used to apply replicated strips of spray/no spray in the field. Yield monitors and a weigh wagon were used to obtain grain yield in each strip. Two farms had plots in 2016 and two in 2018.
Table 2 (middle) shows T2 fungicide application trial results form three farms over two years.
Data from these trials shown in Chart 3 (bottom) demonstrate that fungicide application for disease control can, in fact, protect yield. However, this benefit was only observed in three of the four fields over the two years.
The Shiawassee County field in 2016 had very low disease pressure throughout the tillering and grain fill periods; therefore no yield response was observed. At the same location in 2017, there was a significant yield response (5.0 bu/A), but it was not enough to pay for the fungicide and produced a net loss of $3.78 per acre compared to the no-spray control.
Carefully scouting fields on a regular basis is the best way to determine if application of T2 fungicide will be cost effective. Cool, moist conditions during these growth periods favor disease development, increasing the need for fungicides.
The cost of application for Trivapro at a rate of 13.8 oz per acre is $16.50 plus $7 per acre for application, for a total of $23.50 per acre. Based on this, at $4/bu wheat price, you would need a 5.9 bu/A increase to pay for the fungicide.
In this trial, there was a positive return on investment (ROI) at the Cass 2016 and Saginaw 2017 sites, but not at the Shiawassee site in either 2016 or 2017.
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Musings from Martin:
Interpreting USDA wheat planted data
By Martin Nagelkirk, MSU wheat educator (nagelkir@anr.msu.edu)
 Michigan acreage seeded to winter wheat this past fall is estimated to have increased by 10 percent.
This is comparing the 480,000 acres sown during Fall 2016 and the 530,000 acres estimated for Fall 2017. These acreages include both soft red and soft white wheat.
Of course, the eventual harvested acreage is what is of greater interest to the industry.
Prior to the past few years, the difference between planted and harvested acreage mostly ranged from 20,000 to 30,000 acres unless winter damage leads to greater acreage loss. In recent years, with expanded use of wheat as a cover crop, the guessing becomes a bit more difficult.
In 2017, the difference between planted and harvested acreage was 55,000 acres. This difference can presumably be attributed to cover crop use as there was little loss to winter damage last season.
If wheat cover crop acres did not expand last fall and there is minimal winter loss, then this may suggest that wheat acreage may end up around 475,000 acres based on these assumptions and NASS’s initial planted acres estimate.
The planted acreage reports that the Farm Service Agency requests of growers may suggest a shift between soft white and soft red wheat acres. Looking at some of the leading counties (Clinton, Gratiot, Huron, Lenawee, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, and Tuscola) there was an average 7.5 percent decline in soft white acres and a 2.1 percent increase in soft red acres planted for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
NASS will revise its estimate following future quarterly surveys. I understand that their estimates for both planted and harvested acreage will eventually also consider satellite imagery, FSA reports and trends.
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NAWG and NWF announce 2018 National Wheat Yield Contest, 2017 results
 Feeling good about how your crop looks this winter? Then consider entering your crop in the 2018 National Wheat Yield Contest, sponsored by the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and the National Wheat Foundation (NWF).
Since Michigan wheat went into winter in very good shape, there are several fields across the state that are good contenders to win the contest!
The NAWG-NWF contest compares a wheat farmer’s yield with dryland or irrigated winter wheat to the average in his or her county, making for a level playing field across the US. NAWG believes recognition for high yields creates excitement and information sharing of best practices across the wheat industry nationwide.
This is the third annual NAWG-NWF wheat yield contest, and the number of entries is growing annually; last year’s contest had 287 entries from 27 states.
In 2017, Michigan’s State Winners with dryland winter wheat were:
- 1st Place - Nick Suwyn (Kent County) Yield: 146.7 bu/A, 107% above Kent County USDA avg.
- 2nd Place – Dennis Philpot (Sanilac County) Yield: 138.4 bu/A, 77% over Sanilac County USDA avg.
- 3rd Place – Kevin Noffsinger (Arenac County) Yield: 127.5 bu/A, 75% over Arenac County USDA avg.
Michigan had no entrants in the irrigated winter wheat contest in 2017.
In 2016, Michigan had state and national winners in the contest.
The 2016 National Winners from Michigan were:
- 2nd place – Gordon Briggs, Scottville (Mason County) with irrigated winter wheat
- 5th place – David Eickholt, Chesaning (Shiawasee County) with dryland winter wheat
2016 State Winners with dryland wheat were:
- 1st place – David Eickholt
- 2nd place – Mark Kleinheksel (Allegan County)
- 3rd place – Dennis Philpot
2016 State Winners with irrigated winter wheat were:
- 1st place – Gordon Briggs
- 2nd place – Charles Eickholt (Shiawassee County)
Michigan wheat growers have time to walk their fields and get online to enter the contest this spring. The decision to enter the contest should be made over the next two months, as the early entry deadline is April 1st (cost is $100). Entries after April 1st must be made online with an entry fee of $125.
If you plan to enter, you may want to ask about financial support from your input suppliers, as many of them cover the registration cost.
Actual harvest reports are due by October 1, 2018. New this year is a requirement that each entry include a wheat sample so that quality tests may be run; wheat samples are due by September 15, 2018.
Click here for more information on the NAWG National Wheat Yield Contest.
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Last call: Great Lakes Crop Summit kicks off Tuesday
 At press time, registrations were still being taken for the 2018 Great Lakes Crop Summit (GLCS), brought to farmers by the Michigan Wheat Program, along with the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan and the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee. The agenda is targeted to get growers in Michigan the latest information on production issues, marketing and other pertinent topics.
The 2018 GLCS is set for January 30th and February 1st, at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mt. Pleasant. At least four wheat-specific break-out sessions are planned, and many other informative and interesting ag segments are also scheduled.
Click here for current registration and hotel information.
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Commodity Classic registration still open
 America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show is hand’s down the Commodity Classic, which will be held in Anaheim, California, February 27-28 and March 1.
Michigan wheat growers do not need to join the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) individually to get the member rate. When the Michigan Wheat Program joined NAWG, all Michigan wheat growers were automatically considered NAWG members.
Review the full conference program, register for the conference and reserve hotel rooms for the 2018 Commodity Classic by clicking here.
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Calendar of Events
 We are in the thick of meeting season right now, but it’s not too late to get your wheat update.
Board members available to speak. Michigan Wheat Program executive director Jody Pollok-Newsom and board members will be attending many of the events below. They are also available to speak at other ag events in your area. Email Jody Pollok-Newsom with your request to have a board member speak or attend an event.
- January 31 - February 1, 2018 - Great Lakes Crop Summit, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Mt. Pleasant.
- February 27-28 - March 1, 2018 - Commodity Classic, Anaheim, California.
- March 21, 2018 – MICHIGAN WHEAT PROGRAM ANNUAL MEETING, Eagle Eye Golf Course, Bath.
- June 13, 2018 – MICHIGAN WHEAT PROGRAM SUMMER FIELD DAY, MSU Saginaw Valley Research & Extension Farm, Frankenmuth.
A complete event calendar is found at miwheat.org, the official website of the Michigan Wheat Program.
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