Wheatgrowers tapped to enter competition

Entries for the United Wheatgrowers wheat competition close 11 May. Photo / File

Arable farmers wanting to rate their wheat crop against the country's best still have time to enter the United Wheatgrowers wheat competition.

As the 2018 harvest draws to a close, United Wheatgrowers Director and competition organiser Michael Tayler says now is the time to take stock of the harvest and give serious consideration to entering a competition he says attracts the best growers in the country every year.

"Even if you don't necessarily have a top crop, the competition is a good opportunity to rub shoulders with the industry's best, and to learn more about what makes a crop of wheat great," he says.

The opportunity for rating this season's harvest is broadened by entrants being able to enter the crop in one of four areas, feed, milling-gristing and milling-premium, and biscuit grades.

"We also have the protein trophy, that recognises the ability of a grower to deliver the maximum protein yield per hectare. It is a benchmark becoming quite important for the feed sector."

While Canterbury cropping farmers have dominated the competition in recent years, the opportunity is there for North Island grain growers to also enter and Tayler is hoping this year draws some northern entrants.

The competition is proving an excellent platform for grain growers all over New Zealand to demonstrate the exceptionally high standards this relatively small sector can achieve.

"We are identifying some really valuable niches within the sector that growers are proving very capable of working within."

The efforts by United Wheatgrowers to promote the competition also fit well with aims by the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) to achieve their "20 by 2020" goal of 20t a hectare by the year 2020, pushing crop productivity gains underpinned by intensive research in crop type, sowing times and post planting treatment.

Tayler says while the numbers are still to come in on crop quality, early indications are yields are slightly back on last year, with early hot dry weather having some impact.

"But despite some heavy rain in early January, we managed to have a very good harvest run through to late January-early February and there would be well over three quarters of the total harvest almost done."

Seed Sales Manager for sponsor Ruralco, Craig Rodgers, said it remains vital to showcase the skill and depth of the low-profile cropping sector.

"As a sector, the arable industry is performing well above its weight, and the growers in this competition do much to highlight the level of skill and passion they bring to the sector," he said.

"The reward for us is really about playing a part in showcasing the sector and the farmers within it."

Tayler said farmers could expect a call any day from field reps asking if they may be keen to enter the competition. He was hopeful this year's entries would at least match the 103 entries received last year.

"I think the annual competition is doing its bit to help raise the profile of our industry. Arable farming can be very challenging at times and we don't have a lot of awards compared to some sectors, so it is good to have something that raises the profile of a very skilled sector, as much as it also recognises those world class farmers who do well within it."

To enter the 2018 competition, head along to www.ruralco.co.nz or www.uwg.co.nz and fill in the entry form and send in along with a sample of your wheat. Entries close 11 May, so enter today.