A tough, wet growing and harvest season in Canterbury, the country's main growing area, did not affect entries or standards in New Zealand's biggest wheat-growing competition.
The ATS Seed United Wheat Growers' wheat competition attracted record entries this year, as demand for the grain continues to grow.
Ninety entries were submitted in five categories, with winners announced in Ashburton recently.
Competition co-ordinator Tim Dale, the seed general manager at ATS, said the standard of entries was surprisingly high considering the season in Canterbury.
Demand for wheat was increasing because more and more dairy farmers were using wheat for stock feed.
''The cows produce more milk with grain feeding. The wholegrain feed is supplied to dairy cows crushed and sometimes with additives such as minerals and extra proteins,'' he said.
New Zealand wheat was right up to world standards in terms of quality and yields and he expected continuing improvement.
''Over the last few years in particular, there's been an increased emphasis and focus on breeding new varieties and also we have a number of overseas varieties now that have been trialled and tested for NZ growing conditions.
''They are new varieties that have come in from overseas, particularly out of Europe, that suit our conditions and we're getting improved genetics which is giving us higher yields and disease resistance,'' Mr Dale said.
United Wheat Growers director Brian Leadley said the judging process took account of several factors.
Grain weight, grain size, and if it was a milling class, then protein levels were judged, he said.
''The judges will look at the physical appearance of the wheat too. A crop that's not been harvested when it was ready can lose grain quality and test weights in particular.''
The five award categories were: biscuit wheat, feed protein, feed wheat, milling/gristing wheat and premium milling wheat.
High test weights and grain size were important for wheat that was to be used as stock feed, Mr Leadley said.
''Biscuit wheat wants a low protein because protein is one of the things that make it rise, so they're looking for a variety that's got a reasonably low protein.
''You want consistency - you don't want to suddenly get a high protein that puts you out of contract. Your premium wheat for milling flour is the opposite - you want reasonably high proteins to allow good quality flour for bread making.''
United Wheatgrowers (NZ) Ltd is a wheat grower-driven organisation whose main activity is managing a disaster relief insurance scheme for all wheatgrowers and administering a Quality Assurance Scheme.
Class winners were Rangitata Holdings' feed wheat; Barnett Partnership's feed protein wheat; Hurst Partnership's biscuit wheat; Crossgates Farm's milling gristing wheat; and Redmond AG Farming's premium milling wheat ..