If realized, it would be the highest since 1998.

More than 100 participants of the annual Wheat Quality Tour anticipate the 2012 Kansas wheat crop will total 403,933,601 bushels, and average about 49.1 bushels per acre. Those are the findings after two-and-a-half days of criss-crossing the state and making more than 500 field stops along the way.

If realized, the average yield per acre would be the highest since 1998, when Kansas farmers harvested 49 bushels per acre, according to Kansas Ag Statistics. In 2003, farmers reaped 480 million bushels in all – that was the last time the 400 million bushel mark had been eclipsed.

The last day of the annual Wheat Tour is typically short. Folks hop in the car in Wichita, make a few stops along the way to Kansas City, and gather at the Kansas City Board of Trade to watch the markets close, and to recap the tour.

Thursday’s field stops featured wheat that looked excellent, although there were a few cases of stripe rust and barley yellow dwarf. The crop has plenty of moisture to carry it to harvest, which could be 3-4 weeks away.

Wednesday night in Wichita, members of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission gave an estimate for the Oklahoma wheat crop: 164.4 million bushels (39.6 bushels per acre), the highest since 2003. Jeff Edwards, Oklahoma State University wheat specialist, reckons that number is a bit high – he expects a 144 to 150 million bushel crop.

Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat’s Marketing Director, reports from Kansas City. He also is a member of the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership Class XI