New reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have listed Michigan as one of the top producers of wheat in 2025, with the state sitting at number four in overall wheat production in the nation.
The harvest yielded over 44 million bushels, or 90 bushels-per-acre. This is nearly double the national average and an new overall record in state recorded history, according to the Michigan Wheat Program.
Michigan State University Extension Wheat Specialist Dennis Pennington said the high yield can be attributed to a good growing year with few downfalls.
"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 ranks number two in the nation for soft winter wheat, the species primarily grown in the region. The red and white soft wheat will be sent across the nation to be used in various baked goods like pastries and cookies.
“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, the chair of the Michigan Wheat Program Board of Directors in a press release.
The Michigan Wheat Program works closely with MSU Extension and local millers to help educate farmers and conduct research on how to better grow wheat across Michigan. Pennington said the program is one of the biggest factors behind being able to raise yields over the years.
"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 that we're having, and then so that we can move together as an industry."
