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Algerian Cereal Officials to Visit U.S. Wheat Production Region and Federal Offices

ARLINGTON, Virginia — Algerians enjoy their bread and couscous. The North African nation is one of the world’s largest wheat importers. To help overcome an historical preference for French soft bread wheat, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) will bring two officials from the Algerian Office of Cereals (OAIC) to the United States July 25 to Aug. 1, 2015, to learn about U.S. durum and bread wheat crop quality and the U.S. wheat export supply system. USW worked with the California Wheat Commission (CWC), the North Dakota Wheat Commission (NDWC) and the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council (MWRPC) to organize this team.

“There is an opportunity to foster demand for U.S. wheat to blend with Algerian standard flour,” said Ian Flagg, USW’s Regional Director for the Middle East, East and North Africa, who will travel with the team. “The goal of this visit is to demonstrate the versatility and quality of U.S. bread wheat classes and reinforce the value of U.S. durum wheats for semolina.”

The team starts its visit in Washington, DC, with meetings at USDA and USW. Janice Cooper, executive director of the California Wheat Commission, will join the team there to review Desert Durum® quality and supply. The schedule will continue in North Dakota and Minnesota where the team will see each all the components of the supply chain for both durum and bread wheats, including farm and grain elevator tours. They will also meet with university wheat breeders and get an in-depth look at the U.S. wheat transportation systems.

Flagg said bringing OAIC officials to the United States complements USW’s trade service and technical assistance in Algeria. That work, conducted with funds from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) market development programs, plays a pivotal role in proving the value and comparable performance of U.S. wheat to produce flour for baguette bread and other products as well as semolina for couscous in Algeria.

USW is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” USW activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the United States – +1-605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Korean Milling Executives Will Visit PNW for a First Look at New Wheat Crop

ARLINGTON, Virginia — Two executives representing Korean flour milling companies will chase combines in the Palouse region of Washington and the Columbia Valley of Oregon July 26 to Aug.1, 2015, to get a first look at this year’s wheat crop. Their visit, which includes a stop in Portland, OR, to learn more about the U.S. wheat supply system, is sponsored by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), the Washington Grain Commission and the Oregon Wheat Commission.

The guests are Mr. Ha Jae Lee, who is the factory managing director of Daehan Flour Mills Co., Ltd., and Mr. Jeom Dae Kim, who is the managing director of Samwha Flour Mills Co., Ltd. Their guide is Chang Yoon Kang, USW country director based in Seoul, Korea, who said they hope to see soft white (SW), hard red winter (HRW) and possibly hard red spring (HRS) wheat being harvested.

“These are buyers for a market that is increasingly sophisticated so it is very important that they see this year’s crops,” Kang said. “Gaining a better understanding of the entire wheat chain, from the farm to the export elevator, will also help give them greater confidence in U.S. wheat supplies.”

In marketing year 2014/15 (June to May) Korea’s millers imported more than 43.3 million bushels of U.S. SW, HRS and HRW wheat sourced from Pacific Northwest and northern plains fields. While Korean millers import most of their wheat from the United States, Canadian spring wheat is also imported to blend with U.S. classes for bread flour. Australian white wheat is preferred for Korean style noodles, but USW is working to flank that market by helping its customers introduce whole wheat products made with flour from U.S. wheat as a healthy noodle choice.

USW is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” USW activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the United States – +1-605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Peruvian Wheat Buyers Look at U.S. Wheat Marketing System

ARLINGTON, Virginia — Peru is one the few countries in South America that purchases almost all classes of U.S. wheat, which is one reason why three Peruvian wheat buyers are visiting the United States July 19 to 25, 2015. They are connecting with U.S. grain traders to learn more about the advantages of the U.S. wheat marketing system. The team’s visit focuses specifically on hard red winter (HRW) and soft red winter (SRW) production in Maryland, Virginia, Colorado and Kansas. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) worked with the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB), the Virginia Small Grains Board, the Colorado Wheat Commission and the Kansas Wheat Commission to organize this team.

“Our goal for this trade team is to encourage the practice of blending different wheat classes or protein levels to minimize input costs, so we can compete better with wheat from other sources,” said USW South American Regional Vice President Alvaro de la Fuente, who is traveling with the team. “On this tour, they have the opportunity to see the quality of the new U.S. wheat crop and how its versatility can meet their multiple end-use needs.”

Peru produces an average of 240,000 metric tons (MT) of wheat per year, most of which is a soft variety that is not properly suited for baking, meaning only an average of 10,000 MT of their wheat is purchased by the milling industry. In 2014, U.S. wheat represented 20.9 percent of Peru’s total wheat imports with 1.95 million metric tons (MMT) led by HRW (193,000 MT) and SRW (139,000 MT). The team members represent Peru’s major wheat importing groups, accounting for more than 40 percent of the country’s annual wheat purchases and are directly responsible for evaluating and importing wheat for their companies.

The trip began with a visit to the USW Headquarters Office in Arlington, VA, for a briefing with President Alan Tracy and Vice President of Overseas Operations Vince Peterson. They also visited USW Vice Chairman and MGPUB Commissioner Jason Scott at his farm in Hurlock, MD and toured Perdue’s export grain terminal and Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) office in Norfolk, VA. The team then traveled to Colorado and Kansas for visits to Ardent Mills, a Cargill-Byers unit train loading facility, Progressive Farms, Best Harvest Bakery, CHS and the FGIS Technical Center, as well as a meeting with Louis Dreyfus. Throughout the tour the hosting state wheat commissions will provide their state’s crop quality outlook.

USW is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” USW activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. USW maintains 17 offices strategically located around the world to help wheat buyers, millers, bakers, wheat food processors and government officials understand the quality, value and reliability of all six classes of U.S. wheat.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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North Dakota Wheat Farmer Installed as USW Chairman

SAN DIEGO, California – Brian O’Toole, a hard red spring (HRS) wheat farmer from Crystal, ND, took the reins as Chairman of the U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Board of Directors at the organization’s annual meeting July 12 to 15, 2015, in San Diego, CA.

“I am honored to continue representing all U.S. wheat farmers overseas,” O’Toole said. “I truly believe that the work this organization does in overseas education and promotion is essential to marketing our wheat. It’s a growing world and I am excited to be a part of the mission to maintain or build demand around the world.”

O’Toole is the third generation at T.E. O’Toole Farms, a century farm, where he grows HRS wheat, along with sugar beets, pinto beans, navy beans, black beans and corn. He has been a North Dakota wheat commissioner since 2005 and has extensive experience as a leader in agriculture with current and past roles with the Wheat Marketing Center, the SBARE Wheat Granting Committee, the North Dakota Crop Improvement and Seed Association and the Crystal Farmers Elevator Co-op.

Other officers installed at the USW meeting included Jason Scott, Stevensville, MD, as Vice Chairman and Mike Miller, Ritzville, WA, as Secretary-Treasurer. Last year’s Chairman Roy Motter, Brawley, CA, transitioned to Past Chairman and Chairman of the USW Budget Committee. USW officers were elected to these one-year positions at the January 2015 Winter Wheat Conference in Washington, DC.

USW’s next board meeting will be held jointly with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) in Lake Tahoe, NV, November 3 to 6, 2015.

USW is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” USW activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by FAS. USW maintains 17 offices strategically located around the world to help wheat buyers, millers, bakers, wheat food processors and government officials understand the quality, value and reliability of all six classes of U.S. wheat.

Header Photo Caption: 2015-16 U.S. Wheat Associates Officers (L-R): Vice Chairman Jason Scott, Stevensville, MD; Chairman Brian O’Toole, Crystal, ND; Past Chairman Roy Motter, Brawley, CA; Secretary-Treasurer Mike Miller, Ritzville, WA; and President Alan Tracy, Arlington, VA.

2014-15 Chairman Roy Motter, Brawley, CA (R) passes the gavel to 2015-16 Chairman Brian O’Toole, Crystal, ND (L).

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Erica Oakley Joins U.S. Wheat Associates as Programs Manager

ARLINGTON, Virginia — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) welcomes Erica Oakley to its Arlington, VA, headquarters office staff as Programs Manager effective July 6, 2015. In that position, Oakley will help implement export market development activities planned and managed by USW’s domestic staff, including consulting assignments, board team trips and assistance with customer conferences. She will report to Director of Programs and Planning Jennifer Sydney.

“We are pleased to have Erica join us in an important position,” Sydney says. “Her experience and interest in international food marketing and assistance is exceptional.”

Oakley joins USW after serving as an Associate at Humanitas Global, Washington, DC, since 2012. There she managed programs in food and nutrition security, food sustainability, agriculture and public-private partnership development. Members and funders of this non-governmental organization include the World Food Prize, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization.

She also worked in Washington as a Program Associate at AED, now FHI 360, supporting a USAID Title II-funded Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance II (FANTA-2) project working to strengthen food security and nutrition policies, programs, and systems. Before that Oakley was a Project Associate at Washington-based Futures Group.

A native of North Carolina, Oakley earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies at Meredith College, Raleigh, NC, and a master’s degree in international relations from Utrecht University in The Netherlands.

USW is the wheat industry’s export market development organization working to promote all six classes of U.S. wheat in more than 100 countries. Its activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Erica Oakley

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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U.S. Wheat Associates Announces Two New Staff Assignments

ARLINGTON, Virginia — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) announces that Market Analyst Casey Chumrau will transfer to the organization’s Santiago, Chile, office as Marketing Manager for South America, and Planning and Programs Assistant Stephanie Bryant-Erdmann will move into the Market Analyst position. Each have started a transition to their new assignments, which will officially start in mid-September 2015.

“Casey is taking a newly created position in a region where wheat demand is growing in several markets,” said USW Vice President of Overseas Operations Vince Peterson. “We are happy we can provide this kind of opportunity to a talented young associate and at the same time expand our ability to serve customers in ways that increase demand for U.S. wheat.”

Latin America now represents about 40 percent of total U.S. wheat exports. Annual exports to South America the past five years averaged 3.3 million metric tons (MMT) and included five of the six U.S. wheat classes. That represents significant growth compared to the five-year annual average of 2.2 MMT per year as of marketing year 2011/12 (June to May).

Chumrau, who joined USW in 2011, will report to Regional Vice President Alvaro de la Fuente. A Montana native, Chumrau earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Montana and bachelor’s degrees in history and Spanish from the University of Oregon. She also studied abroad in Chile and Italy, spent a year working in Costa Rica and is fluent in Spanish.

Bryant-Erdmann was raised and worked on her family’s Nebraska cattle ranch and earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in agricultural education. Her master’s program thesis at Cornell University’s Institute for Public Affairs focused on the economic feasibility of exporting Kenyan cheese to the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, she was working as an intern at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Trade Information Center where she helped create educational materials for U.S. organizations looking to export products and services.

“Stephanie joined our organization a year ago and quickly demonstrated competence and an interest in new assignments like this,” said Vice President of Communications Steve Mercer. “Market analysis is a big part of our outreach to overseas wheat buyers and our industry stakeholders at home so that position is moving into our communications function.”

USW is the wheat industry’s export market development organization working to promote all six classes of U.S. wheat in more than 100 countries. Its activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Stephanie Bryant-Erdman (L) and Casey Chumrau (R

 

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Wheat Commissions Host Japanese Millers to Build Confidence in U.S. Supplies

PORTLAND, Oregon — Japanese consumers demand the highest quality and safety in their food. To help maintain a preference for U.S. wheat to produce the best wheat foods, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) is working with the Washington Grain Commission, Oregon Wheat Commission and Idaho Wheat Commission to arrange a visit to those states for four milling executives July 5 to 12, 2015. The trip will introduce the executives to the effective U.S. wheat export supply chain from breeding to inspection and port logistics. Funding for this team is provided by the contributions of wheat farmers to USW through their state commissions.

Millers on this team are executives from mid-sized milling companies representing Japan’s National Cooperative of Millers. This first trade team from this group of millers visited the United States in 2014.

“This will be the first opportunity for some of these managers to personally observe all sectors of the Pacific Northwest wheat trade,” said Steve Wirsching, USW vice president and director of the West Coast office. “That is important because they can influence Japan’s government grain buying decisions.”

“Our market share remains strong because U.S. farmers continue to grow top quality wheat, and because we keep all of our Japanese customers fully informed about quality, supply and prices,” said Wataru “Charlie” Utsunomiya, USW Country Manager for Japan, who will lead this team. “However, we do compete with Canadian spring wheat and Australian white wheat. That is why we give milling executives the chance to discuss our logistical and quality assurance systems face-to-face with U.S. wheat farmers, breeders and exporters.”

Given the advanced state of crop development in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), the team will likely be able to see and experience soft white (SW) wheat harvest. Starting their trip in Lewiston, ID, the team will tour a country elevator and a terminal elevator on the Snake River, followed by a tour and dinner at Idaho wheat commissioner Joe Anderson’s farm in Genesee.

The team will continue their trip in eastern Washington for two days. They will start in Pullman to hear from Washington State University (WSU) wheat breeders about the potential for new varieties, developed with public funds, to improve quality as well as yield. A visit to the USDA Agricultural Research Service Wheat Quality Laboratory will offer assurance that the industry’s commitment to quality remains well established and supported by the U.S. federal government. As they travel south toward the Columbia River, the millers will observe wheat harvest and meet with commercial grain handlers, with a final stop to see how wheat seed production incorporates technology to minimize environmental impact and improve safety.

In their final leg of the trip, the team has much to see in Oregon. Their day in eastern Oregon starts at the Pendleton Flour Mill, and includes a visit to the Bob Johns farm in Athena and a tour of the Oregon State University Pendleton-Ruggs Wheat Research Station. The millers will complete their observations the next day with a broad overview of the Portland area export system. Following a meeting with USW’s West Coast Office staff, regional managers with the Federal Grain Inspection Service will detail their inspection system, which the team will see in action later in the day at Columbia Grain’s export elevator. The Wheat Marketing Center will also emphasize the quality of end-products that include flour from PNW wheat.

USW is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” The activities of USW are made possible by producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and through cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. For more information, visit www.uswheat.org or contact your state wheat commission.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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U.S. Wheat Growers See TPA as First Step to Increased Export Opportunity

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Monday, June 29, 2015 – Today marks the end of a successful bipartisan effort and the beginning of better prospects for agricultural trade as President Obama signs Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) into law.

“With reauthorization of TPA, the President has a prime opportunity to help level the playing field for wheat growers and American agriculture,” said Brett Blankenship, NAWG President and a wheat grower from Washtucna, Wash. “It is now up to the Administration to use that authority to negotiate new wheat market access commitments in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and future trade agreements.”

“Putting TPA in place is a step forward for American wheat growers,” said Roy Motter, USW Chairman and a Desert Durum® grower from Brawley, Calif. “Now we need a TPP agreement that will help growers overcome the tariff advantages a lot of our competitors get through free trade agreements with importing countries. That is important because wheat demand in many of those countries is growing rapidly and we can’t afford to lose out.”

NAWG and USW applaud the tireless work of Congress and the President to get to this point, and look forward to continuing to work with the Administration to finalize strong trade deals for America’s wheat farmers.

NAWG is a federation of 22 state wheat grower associations that works to represent the needs and interests of wheat producers before Congress and federal agencies. Based in Washington, D.C., NAWG is grower-governed and grower-funded, and works in areas as diverse as federal farm policy, trade, environmental regulation, agricultural research and sustainability.

USW is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” USW activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by FAS.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Introducing Europe’s Next Generation of Millers to U.S. Wheat

ARLINGTON, Virginia — The link between food and family transcends cultures and, in some cases, industries. European millers will have the chance to witness this in action while learning about the quality of U.S. wheat and the reliability of the U.S. supply system June 21 to 27, 2015, on their trade team visits to North Dakota, Minnesota and Ohio. The team of six participants from Italy, Spain and Malta include millers from companies of varying sizes and an Italian wheat trader who does business with the mills. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) worked with the North Dakota Wheat Commission, the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council and the Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program to organize this team.

“Some of these millers are owners or someday will take over the family business,” said Rutger Koekoek, USW Rotterdam Office marketing specialist, who will travel with the team. “They have responsibilities spanning procurement, production, quality control and so this visit gives the U.S. wheat industry the opportunity to develop a relationship with the next generation of decision makers.”

Based on a five-year average, the USW European Union (EU) region, which includes Israel, annually imports about 400,000 metric tons (MT) of hard red spring (HRS) wheat. Italy is the largest European importer of HRS wheat, averaging 70 percent of total European imports of HRS over the past three years. “These countries look to U.S. wheat for quality in HRS wheat that is ideal for use in high quality flour mixes and soft red winter wheat that is suited for biscuits, crackers and pastries,” said Koekoek. “It is important that customers feel confident about both the product and the system.”

Members of the trade team will see each step of the grain supply chain for HRS in North Dakota and Minnesota, and for soft red winter (SRW) wheat in Ohio. The schedule includes farm tours and discussions with university wheat breeders about how they are improving U.S. wheat qualities in ways that are important to overseas customers. The trip will also give participants an in depth look at the U.S. wheat grading, marketing and transportation systems.

USW is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” USW activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. USW maintains 17 offices strategically located around the world to help wheat buyers, millers, bakers, wheat food processors and government officials understand the quality, value and reliability of all six classes of U.S. wheat.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Farm and Industry Visits Help Protect Demand for U.S. Wheat in Nigeria

ARLINGTON, Virginia — Eight senior managers from Nigeria’s milling and noodle/pasta manufacturing industries will visit South Dakota and Kansas June 21 to 27, 2015, to examine the current hard red winter (HRW) crop as part of a U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) trade team. USW believes this annual event helps maintain a loyal customer base in a traditionally large market.

Nigeria was the third largest buyer of U.S. wheat for the 2014/15 marketing year that ended on May 31, 2015, importing 76.9 million bushels (2.04 million metric tons). Year-to-year, Nigeria buys more U.S. HRW than any other country. Nigerian millers imported 58.4 million bushels (1.6 million metric tons) of HRW in 2014/15. They also purchased about 12.9 million bushels of soft red winter (SRW) as well as some soft white (SW) and northern durum.

“USW and our state wheat commission member organizations built long-term demand for U.S. wheat in Nigeria by providing information and technical support,” said Muyiwa Talabi, marketing consultant with USW based in Lagos, Nigeria. “This will be our fifteenth annual trade team from Nigeria since 2001 and it is still a key part of our work in an important market where we face new challenges.”

“In an increasingly competitive market, those customers still benefit from, and appreciate, the support USW provides including the chance to see the new U.S. wheat crop and learn about its supply chain from the people who manage it,” said Gerald Theus, assistant regional manager for Sub-Saharan Africa with USW who is based in Cape Town, South Africa. Theus and Talabi will lead this trade team visit.

USW collaborated with the South Dakota Wheat Commission, the Kansas Wheat Commission and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service to organize this trade team. In South Dakota, the team will meet with grain merchandisers and visit several farms. The team’s Kansas visit includes stops at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, USDA’s Center for Grain and Animal Health Research and IGP Institute as well as time with grain merchandisers.

USW is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” USW activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by FAS.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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