USW’s 40th Year Celebration: A Foundation for the Future
By Steve Mercer, USW Vice President of Communications
Throughout 2020, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) marked its 40th year by recognizing and celebrating the people who produce the wheat and their enduring partnerships with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the world’s wheat buyers and wheat food processors.
Our communications effort this year has focused on re-telling the USW story—that behind the world’s most reliable supply of wheat are the world’s most dependable people. That despite the different roles or distances, all the people in our story share an unspoken connection through USW and through our shared values of growth, hard work and family. We invite you to revisit our “Stories from the Wheat Farm” featured this year:
The Next Generation in Kansas
Loving the Work in Ohio
Committed to Stewardship in Washington
Living with Purpose in North Dakota
A Passion for the Land in Oklahoma
Committed to Wheat Quality in Oregon
Embracing the Agricultural Lifestyle in Montana
Throughout the year, we gathered historical information about how previous generations of U.S. farm families organized, invested their time, talent and treasure and reached out to the federal government to build overseas markets for their wheat. Those stories are now archived on our website at:
Western Wheat Associates Develops Asian Markets
Great Plains Wheat Focused on Improving Quality and HRW Markets
Evolution of a Public-Private Partnership
The U.S. Wheat Export Public-Private Partnership Today
NAWG – USW Lead the Way Through Issues Affecting Wheat Farmers
Federal Agency Helps Keep the Wheat Moving
We have emphasized past and present connections between our farmers and customers through our Wheat Letter blog and in Facebook and Twitter posts.
Celebrating Farmer Commitment and Global Partnerships in USW’s 40th Year
U.S. Wheat Farmers and Their Overseas Customers Share Unique Connections
Taiwan Flour Millers Share a Long History with U.S. Wheat Farmers – Part One
Taiwan Flour Millers Share a Long History with U.S. Wheat Farmers – Part Two
National Milling Federations Congratulates U.S. Wheat Associates on 40 Years
Retired Washington Wheat Farmer Reflects on Traveling with U.S. Wheat Associates as Chairman
Nisshin Flour Milling, Inc., Congratulates U.S. Wheat Associates on 40 Years
U.S. Wheat Customers Share History, Values and More with U.S. Wheat Farmers
U.S. Wheat Farmers and Former Staff Have Formed Strong Bonds with U.S. Wheat Customers
In this anniversary year, USW put a spotlight on USW’s 17 state wheat commission members that work closely with our organization and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Those organizations and the rest of the efficient U.S. supply chain share in the challenges and rewards of wheat trade. You can read more by searching “Dependable People” at www.uswheat.org.
The legacy and these partnerships provide advantages USW believes no other wheat exporting country can provide. In many ways, the stories we shared this year built and sustain the culture of the USW organization. They underpin what the U.S. wheat “brand” stands for in the world wheat marketplace: Dependable People, Reliable Wheat.
As we look back on this special year for our organization, we hope that it will serve as a resource and inspiration as USW colleagues continue working in the new year, and for many more years, to help create even greater success for U.S. farmers and their overseas customers.
