Wheat Variety Master List updated to include 14 new choices for farmers planting next year

Farmers have more wheat varieties at their fingertips for next seeding season, with a new 11 listed on the 2023-24 Wheat Variety Master List, including nine Premium Hard milling varieties, one Australian Soft variety and one Australian Durum variety.

Three new feed varieties have also been introduced onto the Master List, while four varieties have been removed the list after a long period of consultation with industry, having been first flagged for removal in 2021.

Grains Australia classification general manager Megan Sheehy said the updated list represented the continuation of “critical work” to maintain the competitiveness of Australian wheat worldwide.

She said the list helped industry to “ultimately ensure its quality meets the required standards” by global and domestic customers.

“Grains Australia is working closing with our Wheat Council and industry to ensure the delivery of a market-driven variety classification system that represents value for customers and producers,” Dr Sheehy said.

The updates came into effect this month with the list also containing existing varieties already approved by Australia’s wheat classification process, which is managed by Grains Australia.

Highlights to the list include three significant variety upgrades, with Calibre upgraded to Australian Prime Hard and Willaura promoted Australian Hard (AH) in the northern zone.

In the western zone, affecting WA farmers, LRPD Dual has been upgraded to Australian Hard wheat.

Based on decreasing production thresholds, 19 varieties are planned for removal in 2024.

These include Impose CL Plus, Justica CL Plus, Forrest, Preston, EGA Eagle Rock, Ellison, GBA Sapphire, EGA 2248, Carnamah, Kennedy, H45, Sunlin, Petrel, Sunbrook, Stiletto, Sunbri, Sunco, Spear and Halberd T/N.

In 2025, 19 varieties are planned for removal — including Kelalac, Ventura, Bullaring, Carinya, Correll, LRPB Catalina, Bolac, AGT Katana, Estoc, LRPB Merlin, Yawa, Tjilkuri, WID802, Sunguard and LRPB Gazelle.

Others also flagged for removal in 2025 are Janz, Sunstate, Sunvale and Cunningham due to concern about their declaration accuracy.

The reclassification of Strzelecki to Australian Premium White is planned for next year in the south eastern and northern zones.

Also planned for 2025 is the reclassification of LRPB Gauntlet to Australian Hard in the northern zone.

The Wheat Master List records the highest possible class available for respective zones noting that the varieties are then subject to each season’s Grain Trade Australia Wheat Standards upon delivery to relevant bulk grain handlers.

To read the list, visit grainsaustralia.com.au, while Grain Trade Australia standards can be found at graintrade.org.au.