Hard Red Winter Wheat

From field to table, the grain that powers America

One of the most important wheat varieties grown in the U.S., Hard Red Winter (HRW) is the largest class of wheat grown in the U.S. – accounting for 40% of the nation’s wheat production.

Hard Red Winter Characteristics

A resilient wheat class with a long growth cycle, HRW is reliable in a variety of different climates, due to both its drought tolerance and cold hardiness. HRW is planted in the fall, goes dormant in the winter, and resumes growing in the spring, both taking advantage of fall moisture and avoiding extreme summer heat. Hard Red Winter has a reddish husk and darker berries and a medium to high gluten content, with protein typically ranging from 10 – 13%.

Visit U.S. Wheat Hard Red Winter wheat for more information.

Markets & Uses

Hard Red Winter is used in both global and domestic markets. Top importers of HRW are Mexico, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and China.

Mexico

Philippines

Japan

South Korea

China

Washington State

Hard Red Winter wheat is mostly grown in the Great Plains (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska) of the U.S. but an average of 0.98% can be found growing in Eastern Washington, Whitman, Walla Walla, Adams, Lincoln, and Franklin counties accounting for 8.8% of the wheat grown in Washington State.

Top Hard Red Winter Varieties

Topmost Planted HRW Varieties in Washington

Variety Name
Acres Planted
SY Touchstone
76,352
Kairos
43,061
LCS Jet
36,672
LCS Helix
27,963
LCS Eclipse
22,180

Companies in Washington that use Hard Red Winter Wheat

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