FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, November 14, 2003
Contact: S.D Wheat Commission, 605-773-4645

Regional Wheat Quality Report to be Released

(Pierre, SD) --- The South Dakota Wheat Commission is releasing the 2003 Regional Wheat Quality Report. Data contained in the report are derived from the testing of wheat samples gathered during harvest from originating points throughout South and North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. The results provide an assessment of the overall quality of the 2003 crop.

"Hard red spring wheat stands out as the aristocrat of wheat when it comes to baking bread. The high protein content and superior gluten quality of hard red spring wheat make it ideal for some of the world’s finest baked goods. Yeast breads, hard rolls and specialty products such as hearth breads, whole grain breads, bagels and pizza crust look and taste their best when baked with top quality spring wheat flour," says Steve Halverson, chairman of the South Dakota Wheat Commission. "Frozen dough products are better with spring wheat because they can be stored longer than those made with lower protein wheats."

Flour mills in the United States and around the world also use hard red spring wheat extensively as a blending wheat to increase the gluten strength in a batch of flour. Adding hard red spring wheat to lower protein wheat improves dough handling and mixing characteristics as well as water absorption. The resulting flour can be used to make an assortment of bread products as well as Chinese-type noodles.

A quick look at the report shows that the regional crop’s average grade is No. 1 Dark Northern Spring with 83 percent grading No. 1 and only 9 percent lower than a No. 2. The high grade profile is due to high average test weights, very low damaged kernel levels and high vitreous kernel content. The 2003 average test weight, at 61.3 pounds per bushel (80.6 kg/hl), is considerably higher than the five-year average and the best in several years. The average wheat protein content of 14.1 percent is lower than 2002, but still near the five-year average. A rapid, dry harvest allowed for an average falling number value of 404 seconds, reflecting an extremely sound crop. As in 2002, the varieties planted and a drier summer virtually eliminated crop disease.

The South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Minnesota state offices of the National Agricultural Statistics Service obtained wheat samples during harvest directly from growers, farm bins and local elevators. These samples reflect the condition of the grain at the point of origin. Collection began in mid-July in South Dakota when approximately 10 percent of the hard red spring wheat had been harvested and continued until early September when more than 95 percent of the region’s crop was harvested.

Sample collection was weighted by county production histories with a total of 849 samples being collected during harvest from Minnesota (121), Montana (207), North Dakota (395) and South Dakota (126). All quality data are the result of testing conducted at the Department of Cereal Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.

A complete copy of the 2003 Regional Quality crop report can be found at www.sdwheat.org/files/springwheatreport03webversion.pdf or call the South Dakota Wheat Commission at 605-773-4645.

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