This is Day 9 of the 2012 Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas City Board of Trade, the Kansas Grain & Feed Association, the Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas Association of Wheat Growers. 

The 2012 Wheat Harvest is inching closer to the Nebraska border, as combines are rolling north of Highway 36 throughout north central Kansas.

Harvest is just picking up steam at the Central Plains Coop in Smith Center, says controller Jim Sweat. This year's take could be about half the cooperative's 1 million bushel average crop, as farmers are reporting yields from 20 to 50 bushels per acre and test weights, 54 to 62 pounds per bushel.

Michael Jordan, KAWG Board Member from Beloit, started harvest on Monday in fields that were planted following soybean harvest last fall. Those fields are averaging about 40 bushels per acre, having run out of moisture the last six weeks. Still, test weights average better than 60 pounds per bushel and protein is averaging 10.1 to 13.9. Jordan anticipates better yields in wheat that was planted earlier last fall.

Harvest in southern Dickinson County is about half done, according to Darel Anderson, manager of the North Central Kansas Coop in Hope. The crop has been a bit better than expected, with farmers reporting yields nearing 50 bushels per acre, 62 pound-per-bushel test weights and protein at 11.5 to 12. Anderson anticipates a larger overall harvest than in the past several years, as farmers planted more wheat last fall than in many years.

In central Kansas, Dave Radenberg, Kansas Wheat Commissioner from Claflin, is pleased with the 2012 harvest, with 60-61 pound test weights and low moisture. He anticipates farmers in the area will harvest about 40 bushels per acre on average; a good crop given the lack of moisture the last six weeks. Area farmers are about two-thirds done with harvest.

Dan Bernard, manager at Agco, Inc. in Russell, says crop quality in Russell County is good, with 60 pound test weights and protein averaging 12.5. Farmers report yield ranges fom 10 to 55 bushels per acre, and a 35-40 bushel average. The cooperative's total receipts should be in line with the five-year average and much better than last year's crop, which was only about 65% of average.

Harvest is underway at Cooperative Grain & Supply in Bazine, according to manager Bryan Yohe. After taking in wheat for the past three days, test weights are averaging 60 pounds per bushel with yields anywhere from 20 to 50 bushels per acre and protein averaging 14. Most area farmers consider this to be an average harvest.

The 2012 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and sponsors Kansas City Board of Trade, and the Kansas Grain & Feed Association.