02/25/2026
Congratulations Shawn Kimbrell. Proof that planting certified wheat seeds ensures high genetic purity, superior germination rates, and freedom from noxious w**ds, leading to higher yields and better standability.
Texas Farmers Earn Top Honors in National Wheat Yield Contest
[AMARILLO, TX]
Two Texas wheat producers were recognized as national winners in the National Wheat Yield Contest, earning top honors in the dryland winter wheat category. Shawn Kimbrell, of Sunray, and Royce O’Neal, of White Deer, were recognized during the National Wheat Foundation reception at Commodity Classic on February 24, 2026.
A former National Wheat Yield Contest winner, Kimbrell earned first place in the percentage over county average category with a yield of 70.04 bushels per acre, 448% above the Moore County average. Kimbrell planted WestBred WB4595 and attributes much of his success to careful variety selection. A strong proponent of no-till farming and crop rotation, Kimbrell plants one-third of his acreage in dryland wheat, one-third in dryland cotton and leaves the remaining third fallow to conserve moisture.
When asked about his advice for fellow farmers, Kimbrell said, “Don’t plant fence to fence. Lay out ground. During that resting time, we’ve learned that the moisture, what little moisture we get, is stored. I harvest a crop every year, even in the dry years. It might not be a 70-bushel crop every year, but it’s harvested every year.”
Kimbrell is strategic with input management, timing topdress fertilizer applications to align with forecasted snow or rainfall to maximize efficiency. Recognizing the importance of w**d control in a no-till system, Kimbrell has also been experimenting with drone technology and used a spray drone to combat mustard w**d in the winning field.
Shawn Kimbrell, pictured with his wife, was recognized at the National Wheat Foundation reception at Commodity Classic.
