2026 National Wheat Yield Contest Winners Announced
November 3, 2026
The National Wheat Foundation has announced 24 national winners of the 2026 National Wheat Yield Contest, representing 10 states and achieving an impressive average yield of 146.40 bushels per acre.
The foundation also recognized four national winners in its pilot digital yield contest and 71 state winners from 22 states. State winners in the traditional contest categories averaged 134.72 bushels per acre.
Despite drought conditions, reduced wheat acreage and an unusual growing season in several regions, the nation's top wheat producers continued to demonstrate their ability to achieve exceptional yields.
The contest recognizes growers in four traditional categories: winter wheat-irrigated, winter wheat-dryland, spring wheat-irrigated and spring wheat-dryland. Additional recognition is given to growers who achieve yields significantly above their county averages.
2026 National Wheat Yield Contest Winners
Winter Wheat — Irrigated
The highest yield in the entire contest came from Rylee Reynolds of Castleford, Idaho, who earned the Bin Buster title with a yield of 214.16 bushels per acre.
- Bin Buster: Rylee Reynolds — Castleford, Idaho — 214.16 bu./acre
- First Place: Noah Beechinor — Walla Walla, Washington — 212.27 bu./acre
- Second Place: John Frisch — Cove, Oregon — 190.07 bu./acre
Winter Wheat — Dryland
Jake Druffel of Colton, Washington, claimed the Bin Buster award in the winter wheat-dryland category with a yield of 196.12 bushels per acre.
- Bin Buster: Jake Druffel — Colton, Washington — 196.12 bu./acre
- First Place: Joe Limbaugh — Pullman, Washington — 188.28 bu./acre
- Second Place: Mike Stout — Genesee, Idaho — 180.55 bu./acre
- Third Place: Jerry and Daniel Mullen — St. Paul, Oregon — 175.49 bu./acre
- Fourth Place: Nick Suwyn — Wayland, Michigan — 164.47 bu./acre
- Fifth Place: Kent Edwards — Castalia, Ohio — 151.70 bu./acre
Highest Percentage Over County Average:
- First Place: Matt Dornan — Chandler, Oklahoma — 110.33 bu./acre
- Second Place: Kelly Ramage — Billings, Montana — 134.72 bu./acre
- Third Place: VFF — Scott City, Kansas — 103.72 bu./acre
- Fourth Place: Brandon Philipps — Conrad, Montana — 122.57 bu./acre
- Fifth Place: Mark Thomsen — Waterville, Washington — 111.18 bu./acre
Spring Wheat — Irrigated
Dallin Wilcox of Rexburg, Idaho, earned the Bin Buster title in the spring wheat-irrigated category, producing 175.35 bushels per acre.
- Bin Buster: Dallin Wilcox — Rexburg, Idaho — 175.35 bu./acre
- First Place: Wyatt Furness — Rexburg, Idaho — 164.88 bu./acre
- Second Place: Jess Blatchford — Baker City, Oregon — 144.97 bu./acre
Spring Wheat — Dryland
Helle and Bruce Ruddenklau of Amity, Oregon, topped the spring wheat-dryland category with a yield of 144.34 bushels per acre.
- Bin Buster: Helle and Bruce Ruddenklau — Amity, Oregon — 144.34 bu./acre
- First Place: Justin Liebl — Bottineau, North Dakota — 131.29 bu./acre
- Second Place: Dale Flikkema — Bozeman, Montana — 105.22 bu./acre
- Third Place: Brent Philipp — Goodridge, Minnesota — 104.40 bu./acre
Highest Percentage Over County Average:
- First Place: Michael Wood — Joplin, Montana — 90.52 bu./acre
- Second Place: Greg Messer — Richardton, North Dakota — 94.39 bu./acre
- Third Place: Andrew Doll — New Salem, North Dakota — 102.69 bu./acre
Pilot Digital Yield Contest Winners
Winter Wheat — Dryland
- High Yield: Cayden Ledbetter — Okmulgee, Oklahoma — 98.00 bu./acre
- High Percentage Over County Average: Lauren Foutch — Shawnee, Oklahoma — 94.00 bu./acre, 40.4% above the county average
Spring Wheat — Dryland
- High Yield: Tim Hendrickson — Bisbee, North Dakota — 113.95 bu./acre
- High Percentage Over County Average: John Hofer — Milnor, North Dakota — 86.90 bu./acre, 34.75% above the county average
Montana and Washington were among the states showing increased interest in this year's competition, with each producing four national winners.
“Two participation trends stand out this year,” said Anne Osborne, executive director of the National Wheat Foundation. “Montana and Washington increased both participation and their number of winners, with four national winners in each state.”
Osborne also highlighted growing participation from double-crop regions, where producers are finding opportunities to increase profitability by raising high-yielding, high-quality wheat ahead of soybeans.
“Our contacts in those areas tell us that when they can grow both high-yielding and high-quality wheat before their double-crop soybeans, those are the most profitable acres on the farm,” Osborne said.
National winners will receive a trip to the 2027 Commodity Classic in New Orleans in March, where they will be recognized during a special winners' reception.
National Wheat Foundation Chairman Scott Brown of Idaho said the event provides an opportunity for leading wheat producers to exchange ideas and learn from one another.
“The winners’ reception at Classic is always one of the most rewarding nights of the year,” Brown said. “We see these top-notch wheat growers from all over the country coming together to share stories and ideas.”
Brown emphasized that the greatest benefit of the competition extends beyond individual awards.
“The biggest payoff for contestants is the production information they learn and apply to all their wheat acres to achieve higher yield and quality on their whole farm,” he said.
The foundation will announce its Top-Quality Award winners in mid-January 2027, following an evaluation of grain, flour and finished-product quality characteristics from national winners' wheat.
Established in 2016, the National Wheat Yield Contest aims to improve the productivity, quality and marketability of U.S. wheat while encouraging producers to share the management practices, technologies and innovations that contribute to greater profitability.
Source: Western Ag Network, National Wheat Foundation
