USW’s 70th Anniversary Event in Tokyo was much more than a ceremony — U.S. wheat farmers and others from the U.S. wheat industry spent the entire day before the celebration touring a flour mill and a bakery to see how various classes of U.S. wheat are used.
It was a fitting way to mark seven decades of U.S. farmers and Japanese millers, bakers, noodle makers and other food companies working together.
At the anniversary event – a reception attended by more than 200 people – representatives of all parties involved reflected on the past 70 years. But no one summed things up better than USW Chairman and North Dakota Wheat farmer Jim Pellman.
“My first grandchild is just starting to learn about the wonders of the world,” Pellman told participants. “With continued investment, hard work and a little luck, I hope that their future includes the farm. I also hope that they someday have the chance to taste the incredible, high-quality foods you as our Japanese customers produce using the wheat we grow.”
See scenes from the 70th anniversary in Japan in this short video.