The Kansas Wheat Alliance mission states that we “Strengthen the wheat industry by funding research to improve wheat varieties”. Through the Ag Innovation Initiative at K-State, we’ve had the opportunity to do just that.
Kansas State University’s Agriculture Innovation Initiative is now in full swing, renovating and building teaching and research facilities for the college of agriculture. One of these research/teaching facilities is the new Agronomy Research and Innovation Center. This facility, located at the Agronomy North Farm, will house the crop breeding programs, including the Manhattan Wheat Breeding Program as well as new grain threshers, dryers, individual work rooms, and equipment storage. All of which are sorely needed upgrades from the current facilities.
This facility will greatly benefit the Manhattan Wheat Breeding program, and because of this, Kansas Wheat Alliance pledged $100,000 to be used for the construction of this new space. This contribution could never have been made without the continued support of our seed associates and Kansas farmers. In recognition of this contribution, the College of Agriculture has named a space in the facility the Kansas Wheat Alliance conference room. The room will be wheat themed and a plaque with every KSU wheat breeder and wheat variety will decorate the wall.
“Our hope is that students learning in this room will see the history of KSU wheat breeding and feel pride in the wheat breeding program. It may even inspire a few students to become breeders themselves.” says KWA CEO Bryson Haverkamp.
This facility will play a pivotal role in producing the next generation of Kansas wheat varieties as well as the next generation of agronomists, researchers, and plant breeders.
The Agronomy Research and Innovation Center is on track to open in May 2026. If you would like to know more about the Agronomy Research and Innovation Center or the rest of the Ag Innovation Initiative, see KSU’s website here.