Farmers Recall Trip That Changed Kentucky Wheat Forever

By Blake Jackson

Several of Kentucky’s leading grain producers still recall the pivotal trip to England that reshaped wheat production in the Commonwealth. Among them is Hopkinsville farmer and agribusiness owner Wayne Hunt, who remembers the experience vividly.

“Back then, we thought we were really good in this country, and then we went over and found out we weren’t nearly as good as we thought we were,” Hunt said. “It put us in the wheat business.”

The trip was organized by the late Billy Joe Miles, an Owensboro agricultural leader and distributor for Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). During a 1985 visit to England, Miles saw wheat fields far superior to those at home.

As he later recounted, “As soon as I saw that first field of wheat, I knew we had to do something at home. It was real dark green, much thicker than ours, real heavy head. I realized they had answers we didn’t have. These are the best farmers in the world, in my opinion.” Motivated to learn more, he arranged for 23 Kentucky farmers, researchers, and industry professionals to tour British farms and research centers.

Hunt recalls advanced technology and intensive management that far exceeded practices in Kentucky at the time. “We got all that today, but it's amazing how far behind we were back then,” he said. The experience inspired major changes once the group returned home.

University of Kentucky wheat breeder David Van Sanford, who also joined the tour, noted that the trip helped spark a new era of collaboration among growers, researchers, and consultants.

Experts from the UK Research and Education Center focused on intensive and no-till wheat production, while visiting British agronomists like Chris Bowley and Phil Needham shared new techniques that continue to influence Kentucky farming.

Over the following decades, UK’s Wheat Science Group and the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association supported field days, workshops, and new technologies, contributing to significantly higher yields. As Van Sanford observed, “Suddenly, it seemed there was a critical mass of growers, researchers and consultants who wanted to put Kentucky on the map.”

Today, Kentucky farmers continue to refine their wheat-growing strategies, drawing lessons from both past breakthroughs and ongoing partnerships.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-ianchrisgraham