Manhattan, Kansas
June 25, 2009
Wheat harvest across Kansas has
commenced. The Grain Science and Industry Department at
Kansas State University has a
new program that will allow interested parties the ability to
track harvest and wheat quality as soon as the data is
available.
Until recently, wheat harvest data such as protein content, test
weight and flour characteristics were made available at the end
of harvest by various organizations. As part of its newly
developed Quality-Based Commodity Marketing program, K-State
Research and Extension, in partnership with the International
Grains Program, Kansas Wheat and the Kansas Grain and Feed
Association, will work with local grain elevators across Kansas
to make the data available as soon as testing occurs.
Participating local elevators will submit wheat samples and the
testing will occur at K-State´s Wheat Quality Laboratory and the
Kansas Grain Inspection Laboratory. Once the samples have been
tested and the data has been entered, GIS mapping technology
developed by K- State´s Department of Geography, will allow
interested parties to view wheat quality data by region across
Kansas on the K-State Grain Science and Industry´s department
Web site, www.grains.ksu.edu.
In addition, several wheat producers representing various
growing regions across Kansas have agreed to participate in
frequent updates as harvest progresses.
"These interviews will provide an on-the-ground perspective from
wheat producers during harvest and provide additional
interpretation to the data reflected in the survey," said Mark
Fowler, associate director of the International Grains Program.
Having immediate access to wheat quality data will help grain
purchasing agents determine their decisions regarding commodity
purchasing and will help many international buying agents in
foreign countries.
"We´re excited about the collaboration between the participating
organizations as we launch this new initiative to report on the
quality of the Kansas wheat harvest in a near real-time format,"
said Leland McKinney, Extension state leader in grain science.
More information is available by contacting McKinney at
lelandm@ksu.edu.
K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas
State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative
Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute
useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by
county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county
Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and
regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the
K-State campus, Manhattan. |
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