The Contest
This year marks the third year of Kansas Wheat Alliance’s annual wheat variety naming contest. Participants taking part in this contest will have the chance to name up to three new wheat variety releases from Kansas State University. Last year’s contest boasted 43 entries from across Kansas and two winners; the LaCrosse FFA Chapter with KS Tradition, and the Annie Oakley 4-H club with KS Flintlock. The winning entries of this year’s contest will win the unique honor of forever designating a Kansas State University wheat variety and a cash prize of $500.
“We started this contest to increase community engagement and boost public recognition of KWA,” says CEO Bryson Haverkamp. Haverkamp first had the idea for the variety naming contest when he started as CEO in 2023. “After I saw how successful the first year went, I knew this was going to be a yearly staple of our marketing.” The first variety named through this contest was KS Homesteader CL+ in 2024 which will be available as certified seed this fall.
How to Enter
A valid entry should have two things; a name starting with the prefix “KS”, and a sales pitch justifying why this name should be chosen. Participants should also check to make sure that their chosen name isn’t already being used for another wheat variety on the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service database. Click HERE for complete contest rules and instructions on how to submit your entry.