Register now: Turn your wheat data into higher yields with the Great Lakes YEN
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EmailLearn how to grow better wheat — field by field.
Wheat growers across Michigan and the Great Lakes region looking to sharpen their management decisions and push yield potential are encouraged to sign up now for the 2026 Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN).
Now entering its sixth year, the Great Lakes YEN is a farmer-driven, data-powered program designed to help growers understand why their wheat yields perform the way they do and what practical changes can improve results in future seasons.
“This isn’t a one-size-fits-all recommendation program,” Jody Pollok-Newsom, executive director of the Michigan Wheat Program, said. “Great Lakes YEN helps growers break down what’s happening in their fields and compare it to other high-performing wheat systems across the region. That insight puts better yields and better economic decisions within reach.”
What growers gain
Participants select one wheat field and collect soil, tissue and whole-plant samples throughout the season. That data, combined with agronomic management information, is analyzed and benchmarked against other participating farms.
Each grower receives:
- A confidential, field-specific report
- Clear benchmarking against regional peers
- Insight into yield-limiting factors
- Support from Michigan State University Extension specialists and researchers
- Access to winter and post-harvest learning events
Over the winter, we work one-on-one with growers to help them understand their reports and be ready to make tough management decisions before spring. By harvest, growers have a much clearer picture of how management choices influenced yield.
Proven results
Growers involved in YEN consistently report improved understanding of crop performance, stronger confidence in management decisions, and measurable yield gains. In recent seasons, YEN participants have documented record-setting wheat yields, far exceeding state averages.
Individual farm data remains strictly confidential. Results are shared only as trends and ranges, allowing growers to see where they stack up—without exposing private information.
Register now
Registration for the 2026 Great Lakes YEN is now open and closes at the end of January. The program launches in February.
- Cost: $325 per field
- How to register: Participate in the Great Lakes YEN Project
The Great Lakes YEN was established in 2021 through collaboration among the Michigan Wheat Program, Grain Farmers of Ontario, Michigan State University, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the University of Guelph.
“This program exists because growers asked for deeper, more meaningful insight into their wheat systems,” Pollok-Newsom said. “If you want to know what’s holding your wheat back—and how to move it forward—this is the place to start.”
For more information, visit GreatLakesYEN.com or follow #GreatLakesYEN
