The Wheat Quality Council’s spring wheat tour kicked off Tuesday with an average yield of 38.3 bushels per acre verses 43 last year and yields declined as the tour moved west. The route traveled through a small portion of Minnesota, south central North Dakota and just across the border into northern South Dakota. Council Executive Vice President Dave Green says the wheat so far is better than expected, although yields dropped as they traveled from east to the west.

He says the best yielding spring wheat on day one was in the Red River Valley, but quickly deteriorated as the route progressed.

Green says today the tour heads to the Devils Lake, North Dakota area.

He says the tour will head to Grand Forks Thursday, before wrapping up in Fargo.