Wheat Innovation Center opens at Kansas State

Kansas is not only the nation's leader in the production and milling of wheat, with grand opening of the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, Kansas is now home to a state-of-the-art wheat research complex.

Gov. Sam Brownback said the innovation center will be an asset for the state and will further solidify Kansas as a leader in the wheat sector.

"In order to continue meeting demands from consumers around the globe, we must conduct research to improve our crops and growing practices," Brownback said. "The Kansas Wheat Innovation Center will play a pivotal role in discovering new technologies and techniques to improve the wheat industry in Kansas and around the world."

Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman, who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, commended the Kansas Wheat Commission for its commitment to being a leader in the U.S. wheat industry. In addition to including office space for the Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, it will also have research space for Heartland Plant Innovations and some of K-State's Wheat Genetics and Genomics Resource Center. The new center is located adjacent to K-State's Grain Science and Industry complex on K-State's north campus.

"I applaud the visionary leaders at Kansas Wheat and look forward to partnering with them going forward," Rodman said. "Kansas is the breadbasket of America but as consumer demands increase, we must work together to meet those challenges. This is a world-class center that will not only be an asset to Kansas wheat farmers but will be a top-notch research facility for the entire wheat industry."