During the 2024-25 growing season, 100,000 acres of winter wheat were planted and 85,000 acres were harvested. While no statewide winter wheat yield estimate was available at the time of writing this publication, winter wheat yield was extremely variable across the state. Many acres of winter wheat were abandoned early in 2025 after an exceptionally warm and dry fall in 2024 inhibited germination and emergence. Much of the crop failed to emerge before snowfall and many fields suffered winter kill. For those fields surviving the winter and harvested for grain, yield varied from typical ranges of 50-60 bushels per acre (bu/a) to exceptionally high, for example, 90 plus bu/a, in areas that received abundant spring precipitation.
ND Noreen, a 2020 release from NDSU, was reported as the most commonly planted winter wheat variety in the state at 16.6% of acres. In second place was Ideal, a 2011 release from SDSU, reported on 10.8% of acres. Other varieties not named in the survey comprised 72.6% of winter wheat acres.
Characteristics of hard red winter wheat varieties adapted for production in North Dakota are described in Table 1. Information on the agronomic and quality performance of selected varieties is summarized in subsequent tables. Yields are expressed on a 13.5% moisture basis and protein on a 12% basis, which are the industry standards.