Wheat Industry News Archives - Page 9 of 15

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the U.S. wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat.
“We have seen only a half-inch of rain in the last 45 days. We are in a critical stage, but we have time to recover if rain comes in the next ten days. Either way, we will have a crop.” — Michael Peters, Okarche, Okla., wheat farmer, and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Secretary-Treasurer.

$6.3 Billion. According to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, that is the total value of all U.S. wheat exports in 2020. Total U.S. agricultural export value of $145.68 billion in 2020 was the second-highest on record, up almost 7% from 2019, mainly on the Chinese import surge. Read more in the 2020 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook.

U.S. Spring Wheat and Durum Seeding has started, under less-than-ideal conditions, according to the North Dakota Wheat Commission (NDWC). Nationwide, farmers have planted 11% of the spring wheat crop, compared to 6% on average. It is extremely dry across most of the Northern Plains. Conditions and more profit potential in other crops prompted USDA to predict a 4% decline in spring wheat area. Read more online.

Voting for Wheat. Michigan wheat farmers have voted to continue the Michigan Wheat Program (MWP) to promote profitable production, marketing and use of wheat. As with other state wheat commissions, funding comes from a “checkoff,” in which farmers contribute a specified amount per bushel of wheat that goes to MWP for research, education and market development programs. Michigan farmers produce soft red winter and soft white wheat.

U.S. Wheat Associates Publishes Commercial Sales every Thursday, documenting wheat export sales-to-date by country and class for the current marketing year compared to the previous marketing year on the same date. The report includes a 10-year commercial sales history by class and country. Data is sourced from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Weekly Export Sales Report. Read the latest report on the USW website.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes various reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

April 15, 2021/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the U.S. wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat. “The research is really there to show that sprouting grain, unfortunately, has bad end-use quality, generally. If we use the ELISA [test for starch damage] … our confidence in the predicted end-use quality goes up. I think that’s the advantage of that test.” — Ashley Cannon, Research Molecular Biologist, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Pullman, Wash., from a discussion in Capital Press about a developmental test for wheat starch damage.

USW Assistant Director Position Opens. The U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Assistant Director, West Coast Office position in Portland, Ore., helps USW fulfill its mission through grain trade and state wheat commission outreach, programming support and assisting overseas trade delegations to the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about this position here.

USW Hosts New Monthly Webinar. USW introduces its new monthly webinar series, “Creating Value for U.S. Wheat,” open to anyone wanting to improve their milling efficiency and profitability. This series provides technical guidance to add value for customers as they make their wheat purchasing decisions. USW will start with the basic concepts of why and how to blend and culminate in using SRC and other flour testing methods to determine best blending strategies. The first webinar, “Creating Value for U.S. Wheat: Through Blending,” is scheduled for April 14 and 15. Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/CreatingValueforUSWheat.

No Wheat Food? The U.S. Wheat Foods Council (WFC) launched a new video series, “Brett Carver Explains,” in which the Oklahoma State University wheat breeder and WFC Board of Advisor member will cover a range of wheat topics. The first video is called “What have you got to lose?” exploring what the human body misses when wheat food is eliminated from the diet. Take a look at the video here.

U.S. Wheat Associates Publishes Commercial Sales every Thursday, documenting wheat export sales-to-date by country and class for the current marketing year compared to the previous marketing year on the same date. The report includes a 10-year commercial sales history by class and country. Data is sourced from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Weekly Export Sales Report. Read the latest report on the USW website.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes various reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

April 1, 2021/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the U.S. wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat

“In wheat, I think there is a purity … we’re reaching back into genetics that are historic … into wild relatives and bringing some of those characteristics … There’s just this natural quality to it. We’re bringing healthy, nutritious food to the table and I think that that’s a passion we have to bring that forward.” — Dr. Allan K. Fritz, Professor, Wheat Breeding, Kansas State University.

USW Assistant Director Position Opens

The U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Assistant Director, West Coast Office position in Portland, Ore., helps USW fulfill its mission through grain trade and state wheat commission outreach, programming support and assisting overseas trade delegations to the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about this position here.

Wheat Marketing Center (WMC) Hires New Food Scientist

Andrew Mense will help deliver technical education and wheat research programs at WMC in Portland, Ore. Mense earned a bachelor’s degree in milling science and management, a master’s degree in grain science, and a doctorate in grain science, emphasizing cereal chemistry, all from Kansas State University. Read more the full news release here.

Commercial Sales Report

Every Thursday USW reports to the wheat industry on export sales-to-date by country and class for the current marketing year compared to the previous marketing year on the same date. The report includes a 10-year commercial sales history by class and country. Data is sourced from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Weekly Export Sales Report. Read the latest report on the USW website.

Farmers Should Contribute to Climate Policy

Representatives of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance testified at a U.S. Senate hearing recently, stressing to lawmakers that federal climate policy must be built upon voluntary, incentive-based programs and market-driven opportunities, promote resilience and adaptation in rural communities and be grounded in scientific evidence. Read more on the Alliance website.

Freight Perspective on S&D Estimates

Changing volume projections for U.S. wheat exports could be reflected in freight flows this spring, with more volumes going toward the western ports and fewer volumes going to the Gulf Coast, according to data in USDA’s March World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report. Read more online from “Freight Waves.”

Subscribe to USW Reports

USW publishes various reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online

Visit our Facebook page for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

March 18, 2021/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the U.S. wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat. “To achieve true and lasting food security, we need to build and safeguard the entire food ecosystem – the land and water, the local economies, the supply chain, the farmers, and the communities that depend on one another to thrive.” — Thomas Duffy, Director of the Office of Agricultural Policy at the U.S. Department of State.

A Resilient Crop. A Central and Southern Plains farm service company that has been checking winter wheat fields is more optimistic about the potential effect of the mid-February freeze on crop conditions. “The soil profile in Kansas maintained temps in the 20 to 25-degree (F) range, which really protected the roots of the plant,” said Greg Ruehle, president and CEO of ServiTech. He also said wheat planted earlier in the fall came through the cold spell in much better condition than later-planted crops. Read this interview online here.

Spring Wheat in Kansas? Researchers in Nebraska and Kansas are testing spring wheat varieties in this traditionally hard wheat production region. Lucas Haag, a crop production specialist at Kansas State University’s Northwest Research-Extension Center in Colby, Kan., recently told High Plains Journal that spring wheat may fit as a niche in crop rotations and for local buyers.

NWF Hosts Wheat 105 Educational Event. The National Wheat Foundation (NWF) held its fifth annual wheat education event for Congressional staffers, called Wheat 105, virtually, on March 4. Hosted jointly with BNSF Railroad, Wheat 105 featured speakers from the NWF, BNSF, U.S. Wheat Associates, the McGregor Company, the North American Millers Association, and the Grain Foods Foundation, and it enabled Hill staff to interact directly with 18 organizations/companies throughout the entire wheat value chain.

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Publishes Commercial Sales every Thursday, documenting wheat export sales-to-date by country and class for the current marketing year compared to the previous marketing year on the same date. The report also includes a 10-year commercial sales history by class and country. Data is sourced from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Weekly Export Sales Report. Read the latest report on the USW website.

2021 National Wheat Yield Contest Opens. The National Wheat Foundation (NWF) is now accepting grower enrollment for the 2021 National Wheat Yield Contest. Entry categories include winter wheat and spring wheat, with dryland and irrigated subcategories. Entries are judged on yield quantity and functional quality. Learn more about the contest online.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes various reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

March 4, 2021/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the U.S. wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat. “We’re proud to grow the best quality wheat you’ll find anywhere. But we can’t feed the world if we can’t get it to market… Multiple modes of transportation to Portland help us better serve our customers and be regarded as a reliable supplier throughout the world.” — Joseph Anderson, a wheat farmer from Genesee, Idaho, and Idaho Wheat Commission Chairman.

Market Analyst Position Opens. The U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Market Analyst position in its Arlington, Va., Headquarters Office helps USW fulfill its mission through in-depth analysis of global wheat production, trade and pricing, and reporting relevant information to domestic and international stakeholders on a regular basis. Learn more about this position at this link.

2021 National Wheat Yield Contest Opens. The National Wheat Foundation (NWF) is now accepting grower enrollment for the 2021 National Wheat Yield Contest. Entry categories include winter wheat and spring wheat, with dryland and irrigated subcategories. Entries are judged on yield quantity and functional quality. Learn more about the contest online.

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) is Hiring a Director of Communications and Partnerships to implement a strategic communications and partnerships plan to increase awareness of NAWG and association policies at the national and state levels, as well as on Capitol Hill. Learn more here.

USDA Has Lowered its World Wheat Ending Stocks Estimate by 3% to 304 million metric tons (MMT), still a record level and 10% more than the 5-year average. USDA now expects the United States to export 10.1 MMT of HRW, 7.76 MMT of HRS, 2.04 MMT of SRW, 6.12 MMT of white wheat (soft and hard), and 820,000 metric tons (MT) of durum in 2020/21. Read more here.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes various reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

February 18, 2021/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat. “Sixty-five percent of the varieties in the U.S. are produced by … the public sector. … That has made the international community of wheat a very collaborative group of people, so we try to share as much as possible.” says Dr. Jorge Dubcovsky, plant geneticist and professor of plant sciences who leads the small grains breeding program at the University of California-Davis.

Family Farms Comprise 96% of all U.S. Farms, account for 87% of land in farms, and 82% of the value of all agricultural products sold, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture Farm Typology report. Released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the report defines a “family farm” as one in which the producer and individuals related to the producer own the majority of the business.

Vilsack on Way Back to USDA. The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry has voted in favor of President Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, who served as Secretary for eight years in the Obama Administration. The full Senate must now approve the nomination. National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) CEO Chandler Goule said, “Secretary Vilsack demonstrated his qualifications … and his vast knowledge of issues important to production agriculture.”

NCI Cereal Innovators Webinar Series. The Northern Crops Institute’s “Cereal Innovators” interactive webinar series focuses on new and unique ways to use cereal grains. This month’s webinar on Feb. 10, will feature Andrew Ross, Oregon State University professor in the Crop and Soil Science Department covering “WHY cereal and whole grains, WHAT cereal grains, the HOW of cereal grains: milling and other processes, the WHERE of cereal grains and more.” Sign up for this webinar here.

NAWG is Hiring a Director of Communications and Partnerships. This position will focus on implementing a strategic communications and partnerships plan that will increase the organization’s exposure at the national and state levels as well as on Capitol Hill. Read the full job description and more information on how to apply here.

IGP Institute Flour Milling and Grain Processing Course Schedule. The IGP Institute at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., has several flour milling and grain processing courses planned in 2021, covering all aspects of managing the flour milling process from grain selection to finished products. View the full course schedule and register here.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes various reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

February 4, 2021/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the U.S. wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat. “American strength in agricultural exports has been built on … the principle that all markets matter. Cuba … imports $2 billion in food each year, less than ten percent from the United States. U.S. exports of potatoes, wheat … and other products stand to grow significantly.” – From a Letter to President Biden from the United States Agriculture Coalition for Cuba.

Group to Biden: Open Relations with Cuba. In a Jan. 14 letter to now President Biden, United States Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC) urged “a return to policies of engagement toward Cuba, for the sake of the U.S. national interest, to boost U.S. food exports to Cuba, and to support the development of beneficial relations between our countries’ agricultural sectors.” U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) is a USACC member and signed the letter to the President.

In Case You Missed It, USW’s new film “Wholesome: The Journey of Wheat” can now be viewed on Facebook and Vimeo. USW premiered the film Jan. 12 and it has now been shared with USW’s 13 overseas offices to support U.S. wheat export market development. The film was produced with funding from the Agricultural Trade Promotion program administered by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and in cooperation with USW state wheat commission members.

Wheat Industry Well-Represented on USDA Advisory Panels. Retired Washington wheat farmer and USW Past Chairman Randy Suess was recently appointed to USDA’s Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Grains, Feed, Oilseeds and Planting Seeds. He joins North Dakota Wheat Commission Administrator Neal Fisher, Kansas wheat farmer and USW Director Ron Suppes and USW Vice President of Policy Dalton Henry on that committee. In addition, USW President Vince Peterson serves on USDA’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC). The advisory committee system was created to ensure U.S. trade policy and trade negotiating objectives adequately reflect U.S. public- and private-sector interests.

Sincere Sympathy to USW/Cape Town Regional Programs and Marketing Specialist Domenique De Oliveira Opperman and her family on the recent passing of her father.

National Wheat Foundation (NWF) Hires Project Manager. NWF has hired Anne Osborne to manage the National Wheat Yield Contest (NWYC) and educational projects. Osborne, formerly a sales agronomist for the Farmers Union Oil Co-op, will replace Steve Joehl, who is retiring in early 2021. Read the full release here.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes a variety of reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page at for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

January 21, 2021/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat. “The wheat industry told me that they wanted better quality varieties. They needed better milling and baking properties, so we spent a lot of time working on those improvements.” – Dr. Scott Haley, Retired Project Leader, Wheat Breeding and Genetics Program, College of Agricultural Sciences, Colorado State University. Full Story.

National Pasta Association Consumer Program Relaunches to Share the Pasta.
The National Pasta Association (NPA) has re-branded consumer communications to “Share the Pasta” to “celebrate the joys of pasta and increase consumption.” NPA’s previous public outreach called “Pasta Fits” emphasized health benefits, versatility and value, attributes that will still be promoted as part of the new communications theme.

Press Release: NAWG Shares Wheat Priorities with the Biden-Harris Transition Team. The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) recently sent a letter to the Biden-Harris transition team to introduce NAWG, outline pending policy issues needing immediate attention from the upcoming Administration and provided a primer on the wheat industry. Read NAWG’s release highlighting the letter here.

Sincere Sympathies to Mark Fowler, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Vice President of Global Technical Services, and his family on the passing of Mark’s father, Thomas Fowler, on Jan. 4, 2021.

IGP Institute Flour Milling and Grain Processing Course Schedule. The IGP Institute at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., has several flour milling and grain processing courses planned in 2021, covering all aspects of managing the flour milling process from grain selection to finished products. Courses will explore many areas including; technical milling, mill management practices, quality control, food safety, flowsheet design, process automation and controls, process efficiencies, hard and soft wheat milling, maintenance, and much more. View the full course schedule and register here.

The January Cereal Grain Sciences Event Calendar is available online and for subscription. The calendar is compiled and updated monthly by cereal scientist and editor Dr. M. Hikmet Boyacioglu.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes a variety of reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page at for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

January 7, 2021/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat. “It’s like finding the missing pieces for your favorite puzzle that you have been working on for decades. By having many complete gene assemblies available, we can now help solve the huge puzzle that is the massive wheat pan-genome and usher in a new era for wheat discovery and breeding.” — Dr. Curtis Pozniak, wheat breeder and director of the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre, describing collaborative work with Kansas State University that completed genome sequencing of 15 wheat varieties representing breeding programs around the world.

Biden Nominates Former USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to serve in the same position in the new administration. The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) congratulated Vilsack for being nominated. “We look forward to working again with former Secretary Vilsack and are ready to engage with any new staff at USDA,” said NAWG President Dave Milligan, a wheat farmer from Cass City, Mich.

“Bake to the Future,” a podcast produced by the American Bakers Association (ABA) recently featured a discussion about the future of the U.S. wheat foods supply chain between NAWG CEO Chandler Goule, North American Millers’ Association Jane DeMarchi and ABA President and CEO Robb MacKie. The industry executives weigh in on a range of topics and discuss the imperative of demystifying the farm-to-fork system for consumers. Listen to the podcast here: https://baketothefuture.org/.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes a variety of reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page at for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

December 10, 2020/by actualize

Wheat Industry News

Recent news and highlights from around the wheat industry.

Speaking of Wheat. “Clearly health care workers [should get the vaccine] first, and the vulnerable, the elderly, people with pre-existing conditions. We will advocate that, then, the essential workers – I would include the food-supply chain – should be right at the top.” – David MacLennan, CEO, Cargill Inc., from a Nov. 23 Wall Street Journal article on preventing food supply disruptions as the pandemic surges.

Pandemic Raises Positive Image of Farming. For the first time, Americans answering a Gallup tracking poll about various business and industry sectors put farming and agriculture at the top of their list with a 69% positive rating. The former top-ranking industries – restaurants and computers – remain in the top four, with the grocery industry rounding out the group. Wheat producers and wheat production, of course, have always been “Number One” in our opinion. Read more here.

Concerning Trends in Farm Financial Well-Being. Field to Market, The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, recently release a report highlighting trends in farm financial well-being. The report titled Economic Sustainability: Trends in Financial Well-Being. The report found that a prolonged period of low commodity prices has created significant financial pressures for U.S. agriculture, jeopardizing many farming operations and challenging the ability of supply chains to meet ambitious sustainability goals absent more direct support for growers.

Best Wishes to Montana Wheat Executive. The Montana Grain Growers Association (MGGA) recently announced that executive vice president Lola Raska will retire at the end of December and Alison Vergernot will take that position effective Jan. 1, 2021. MGGA represents the interest of Montana grain growers at the state level and is a member of the National Association of Wheat Growers. Lola has been involved in Montana agriculture for over 40 years and served on the MGGA Staff for 21 years. Her friends at U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) thank her for her service and wish her a long and happy retirement.

NWF Announces National Winners for the 2020 National Wheat Yield Contest. The National Wheat Foundation’s (NWF) National Wheat Yield Contest offers growers the opportunity to compete with farmers from across the United States and improve their production practices through new and innovative techniques. The NWF recently announced the national winners for the 2020 National Wheat Yield Contest, which recognizes winners in two primary competition categories: winter wheat and spring wheat, and two subcategories: dryland and irrigated. Read about the winning entries here and here.

Subscribe to USW Reports. USW publishes a variety of reports and content that are available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts, the weekly Price Report and the weekly Harvest Report (available May to October). Subscribe here.

Follow USW Online. Visit our Facebook page at for the latest updates, photos and discussions of what is going on in the world of wheat. Also, find breaking news on Twitter, video stories on Vimeo and more on LinkedIn.

November 25, 2020/by actualize