Spot basis bids for hard red winter wheat stayed steady in the southern U.S. Plains on Friday, as K.C. HRW futures eased and farmers focused on their coming corn harvest, dealers said.

Basis has weighed on wheat cash markets, said traders, as grain buyers and crop producers alike scramble to sell excess crop inventory and free space to store what promises to be a massive corn crop.

Timely rainfall swept across parts of Kansas this week, giving fields a welcome boost of moisture ahead of the 2026 wheat planting season, sources said.

Cash premiums jumped for HRW wheat with high levels of protein, typically a sign of demand from domestic flour mills.

Premiums for railcar HRW wheat to and through Kansas City rose by 33 cents a bushel for wheat with 13% to 13.6% protein. Premiums rose by 10 cents for 11% to 11.2% protein wheat and rose by 2 cents for wheat with 12.6% to 12.8% protein.

Protein premiums for railcar HRW wheat to and through Kansas City fell 2 cents a bushel for wheat with 11.4% protein.

K.C. December hard red winter wheat futures (KWZ25) settled down 1 cent at $5.05-1/4 a bushel on Friday.
Source: Reuters