Wheat Industry News
Recent news and highlights from around the U.S. wheat industry.
Speaking of Wheat
“Disruptions like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine can have a long tail in global trade. I think that is one reason why the [USDA] Secretary is very interested in getting my successor [as USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs] named. And…Gregg Doud’s successor at USTR [as Chief Agricultural Negotiator] named, because more than half the battle is just showing up. And now that we are getting out from under COVID, showing up can make such a difference. If you are not showing up…somebody else is.” – Ted McKinney, CEO National Association of State Departments of Agriculture on Agri-Pulse Newsmakers.
NAWG Elects New Officers
National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) recently elected Nicole Berg as its next President. Berg is a fourth-generation farmer from Paterson, Wash., where she farms alongside her dad and two brothers. They grow dry-land and irrigated wheat, Blue Grass Seed, Field Corn, Sweet Corn, Sweet peas, green beans, and alfalfa. During her tenure, Berg will lead conversations about the next Farm Bill and act as the voice of the nation’s wheat growers. Other NAWG officers include Dave Milligan, Cass City, Mich., Past President; Brent Cheyne, Klamath Falls, Ore., Vice President; Keeff Felty, Altus, Okla., Treasurer; and Pat Clements, Springfield, Ky., Secretary. Read more here.
Celebrating National Ag Day on the National Mall
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) will join the North American Millers Association and National Association of Wheat Growers to host a booth at the inaugural Celebration of Modern Agriculture on the National Mall in Washington D.C., March 21 to 22 for National Ag Day. The public event will showcase U.S. equipment manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, and agriculture innovators on the cutting-edge of science and technology. Learn more about the event here.
USDA Report Shows Conservation Practices Increasing
A new USDA report shows the use of no-till, crop rotations, more efficient irrigation methods, and advanced technologies by U.S. farmers have climbed in recent years. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) report demonstrates progress through voluntary conservation over ten years. Findings from the report will inform future conservation strategies, including USDA’s efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Read the full article here.
Largest Drought Area Since 2021
The U.S. Drought Monitor released March 8 indicated more than 61% of the contiguous U.S. is in some classification of drought, the largest percentage since 2012. The report emphasized, “the southern Plains and South continue to dry out. As spring approaches and [winter wheat] dormancy is broken, impacts are already showing in these areas….”
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