AMillicent farmer has grown the best wheat crop in South Australia according to a keenly-sought annual contest.

An 11.48t per hectare wheat crop was enough for grower Tom Bell to be presented with the South Australian Grains and Research Development Corporation’s hyper yielding crops award.

His 2021 award winning crop not only achieved Highest Yield, but also Highest Yield based on percentage of potential for the region.

The presentation was made earlier this month at a gala ceremony at the Millicent Gallery.

The married father-of-two has a break from farming by playing at the Hatherleigh Football Club.

Four generations of Bells have farmed in the Millicent district for over 100 years.

Established in 2020, the national hyper yielding crops initiative is the GRDC’s new investment to push crop yield boundaries in high yield potential grain-growing environments across Australia.

The initiative involves five centres of excellence including one at Hatherleigh.

Attached to each centre of excellence are five focus farms (25 farms in total) and a lead grower network aimed at taking research and development learnings from small plot to paddock scale.

Through the GDRC investment, high yield potential cultivars suited to local environments will be identified and the most appropriate agronomic management tactics – including paddock selection and preparation, canopy management, disease, weed and pest control, and crop nutrition strategies – will be explored to assist grower and adviser decision making.

The annual field day at Hatherleigh will be held on October 20.