Wright Farms in Kansas: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Wright Farms is a fourth-generation farm near Bird City in northwest Kansas that presses unrefined sunflower oil on the original homestead. A K-State Huck Boyd Institute profile describes the oil being sold online and at about 30 independent Kansas stores.
| Location | Near Bird City, northwest Kansas |
|---|---|
| Founded | Fourth-generation farm; Dennis's great-grandfather homesteaded the land |
| Sectors | Sunflowers and other crops; value-added sunflower oil |
| Scale | Acreage not published; oil sold online and at about 30 stores (2018 profile) |
| Why it is notable | Field-to-bottle unrefined sunflower oil; member of From the Land of Kansas |
| Ownership | Dennis and Dana Wright, with Dennis's father Don; Wright Enterprises |
| Official website | Wright Farms official site |
History of Wright Farms
The Huck Boyd Institute profile says Dennis Wright and his father, Don, founded Wright Enterprises. The Wrights are fourth-generation farmers, and Dennis's great-grandfather first homesteaded the land. Dennis and Dana joined the family operation in 2005.
After researching sunflower oil and holding focus groups, the family chose to make unrefined oil for health-conscious consumers, since most sunflower oil sold is refined.
What Wright Farms Grows and Raises
Wright Farms Sunflower Oil is cold-pressed with an expeller press, filtered through a plate system with layers of cloth and bottled. The plant is a small building on the original homestead, so production goes from field to finished product on the farm. Don, an electrician, helped build an automation system that feeds seed into the press and stops it automatically.
The profile describes the oil as mild and nutty, suited to low and medium heat cooking such as sauteing and marinades rather than deep frying. The family hosts tastings and bread dippings, and the oil is sold online and at about 30 independent grocery, gift shop and museum stores across Kansas.
How Wright Farms Makes Money
Value-added sunflower oil
The farm sells bottled oil directly and through independent retailers, capturing more of the value than selling seed. Prices and volumes are not published.
From the Land of Kansas
The oil has been included in gift baskets through the Kansas Department of Agriculture's From the Land of Kansas program, widening the market beyond the state.
Tastings and direct sales
Hosted tastings and online sales give the family direct customer contact.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Wright Farms
Research first. Focus groups helped the family choose unrefined oil for a clear consumer segment.
Keep processing on the farm. A modest building and homemade automation controls cost and quality.
Use state marketing programs. The Kansas Department of Agriculture's branding program opened gift basket and retail channels.
Pressing sunflower oil on a homestead your great-grandfather claimed is the sort of tidy loop that farm satire seldom gets to improve. The team at farm.FM leaves the farm humor at the door when a press stops itself automatically, though the ranch humor says Don's wiring deserves a medal. We promise our farm jokes about bread dipping stay mild.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
How to Contact Wright Farms
Website: https://www.wright.farm/
The domain wright.farm appeared in a 2018 Huck Boyd Institute profile; I could not open the site, so no address, phone or email is listed. Confirm details through the website. Information as of November 2026.
Wright Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Wright Farms - Official operation site
- Huck Boyd Institute profile - K-State profile of Wright Farms sunflower oil
- High Plains Journal: sunflowers - Independent coverage of sunflower potential
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - Official county and state data on Kansas farms and sales
- USDA Farmers.gov - Federal loan, conservation and risk programs for operators
Wright Farms FAQ
Where is Wright Farms?
Near Bird City in northwest Kansas.
What does it make?
Unrefined, cold-pressed sunflower oil.
Where is the oil sold?
Online and at about 30 independent Kansas stores, per the 2018 profile.
Who runs it?
Dennis and Dana Wright with Dennis's father Don; the farm is fourth generation.
Wright Farms shows how a Kansas grain farm can add value without leaving the homestead. Explore more in our Kansas farms guide.