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Owners of Peters Farms in Okarche, Oklahoma, examine seedling wheat on their farm.

The concept of stewardship is deeply ingrained in the farmer. Their calling is to wisely use the gifts of soil, water, and seed to produce a crop – and a livelihood. They feel responsible for continually nourishing and improving the land for the next generation. They work every day to contribute to a sustainable source of high-quality wheat for the world.

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) feels it is our responsibility to share some of the impressive stories of stewardship in wheat production taking place across the country. One of the ways USW does this is through membership in the U.S. Sustainability Alliance and by developing a fact sheet on wheat sustainability.

In this section, USW has gathered resources the world’s wheat buyers, flour millers, bakers, and wheat food processors need to better understand how U.S. farmers produce more and better-quality wheat while using methods that are better for the planet we all share.

These are our Stories of Stewardship.

Just as each U.S. production region is different and faces unique challenges, the concept of sustainability has as many meanings as there are stakeholders. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines sustainable agriculture as “farming in such a way to protect the environment, aid and expand natural resources and to make the best use of nonrenewable resources.”

Farmers representing all six classes of U.S. wheat agree and would expand upon that agronomic definition to include “farming in a way that sustains the economic viability of their family’s operation to produce safe, wholesome wheat for the world, while ensuring the land is passed on in better condition for the next generation.”

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) reached out to wheat farmers across the United States to describe how they strive to improve their land and manage resources. Each is committed to adapting to the many challenges they face and making choices that are best for the environment and their individual farms. We are proud to share their “Stories of Stewardship.”

Learn more about how these farmers practice sustainability:

A man and a young boy leaning down and looking at wheat kernels in a wheat field.

Feeding the World, Caring for the Land

Over many years, U.S. Wheat Associates has also shared a range of stories about sustainable agriculture on such topics as: how on-farm technology has dramatically increased the efficiency of crop protection and fertilizer applications, how government conservation programs support sustainable wheat production, and how biodiversity and productivity have grown together in modern U.S. wheat varieties.

We invite you to open the links below to read more.

In 2021, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) produced the film “Wholesome: The Journey of U.S. Wheat” in cooperation with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and Federal Grain Inspection Service, state wheat commissions, local grain trade, and exporters. It is the foundation of USW’s messages to world wheat buyers and users about U.S. wheat sustainability and quality.

The people at every step of U.S. wheat’s journey to export featured in the film tell their own stories about how they thoughtfully produce new varieties, care for the land and the crop, and handle the wheat responsively to ensure it meets customer needs.

Think Farm Export Programs Don’t Matter? Think Again.

GET THE REST OF THE STORY

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