Wheat Industry News Archives - U.S. Wheat Associates

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“CBOT wheat futures reached the $14.2525 per bushel all-time high in March 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, turning Europe’s breadbasket and critical logistical hub at the Black Sea ports into war zones. While the battle for Ukraine continues to rage, CBOT wheat prices have steadily declined. [A] pattern of lower highs and lower lows that took the most liquid wheat futures to a $5.9550 low in May 2023. Wheat remains in a bearish trend, at just under the $6.10 level on May 22, but the price is higher than the level from August 2015 through September 2020. Wheat’s war premium has declined, but the price remains elevated.” – Barchart Analyst Andrew Hecht, May 22, 2023.

Fiber In; Keto Out?

Key issues impacting the grain-based foods industry are the popularity of fiber, an apparent decline in keto diets and sustainability concerns, according to the International Food Information Council’s 2023 Food and Health Survey released May 23. The IFIC survey involved 1,022 Americans of the ages 18 to 80 who were contacted April 3-10. When asked what dieting patterns they followed in the past year, 4% said ketogenic or high fat, which was down from 7% in last year’s survey. The percentage of consumers following gluten-free diets fell to 6% from 9% last year. Low-carb dieting remained the same at 6%. Read more here.

National Wheat Foundation Partners with My Plate

The National Wheat Foundation is pleased to join the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion as a USDA MyPlate National Strategic Partner. The partnership aims to enlighten individuals about the advantages of incorporating wheat into their dietary choices. At its core, MyPlate is a scientifically grounded initiative, crafted to impart knowledge on the merits of wholesome eating and encourage adjustments in our dietary habits that can yield significant long-term benefits. “We are looking forward to working with MyPlate as we help educate the benefits wheat can have in a person’s diet …,” said Bernard Peterson, Chairman of the National Wheat Foundation and a wheat farmer from Kentucky. Read more here.

India: Wheat Export Ban Stays Put

The Indian government has ruled out lifting a ban on wheat exports implemented one year ago as a measure to control rising domestic prices. Asked if wheat exports will be allowed, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said, ‘No chance at all.’ The government is supplying some quantity of wheat to a few countries like Nepal and Bhutan via a government-to-government trade arrangement. Citing reasons for continuing the export ban, Additional Secretary of the Food Ministry Subodh Kumar said India is not a traditional wheat exporting nation. However, the country exported wheat in the last three years owing to surplus supplies. Read more here.

U.S. Hard Red Spring Crop Planted?

Do not be surprised if the next USDA NASS weekly report shows most of the 2023 spring wheat crop is seeded. As of May 21, U.S. spring wheat planting progress was seen as 60% complete, up from 40% previously, with estimates ranging widely from 51% to 75% complete. However, with a warm, dry forecast over the next several days, farmers will make amazing progress. North Dakota Wheat Commission Policy and Marketing Director Jim Peterson told U.S. Wheat Associates on May 24 that farmers seeded fully half the total expected crop just last week.

A Tale of Two Crops in Colorado

Colorado Wheat Director of Communications and Policy Madison Andersen reported recently that a portion of eastern Colorado is now free of drought. The “excellent,” “good” and “fair” categories all gained points, however, so did the “very poor” category. She said she thinks this continues the tale of two crops reported in Colorado several times this year. There is wheat in the northeast corner that has the potential to make 70 bu/ac, while the abandonment rate in the southeast corner continues to rise, she added. The photo at the top of this page is from a northeast Colorado farm, courtesy of Dr. Phil Westra, Professor of Weed Science at Colorado State University.

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May 25, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“[The] recent counter notification at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding India’s rice and wheat subsidies is a step in the right direction in publicly addressing India’s blatant disregard for the commitments they made when they joined the WTO … India subsidized up to 81% of the value of their wheat crop in the 2020/21 crop year, far exceeding the … limit they are obliged to adhere to.” – Several members of the U.S. Congress in a letter to USTR Katherine Tai and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. Read more here.

Farmer’s Wheat Crop a Complete Loss

Western Kansas farmer Jim Sipes tells Brownfield Network he has abandoned 4,000 acres of his winter wheat crop due to on-going drought. “All of our wheat for the first time in my farming career was a complete loss, zeroed out on appraisal about four weeks ago.” Sipes says the region received up to 3 inches of rain last week and that might help get the sorghum crop off to a good start. “If that doesn’t work, then we’ll plant it back to wheat a third time [as a cover crop].” Read more here.

Is Whole-Wheat Bread Healthier Than Whole-Grain Bread?

Fortunately, both types of bread can be healthy. Reproductive dietitian Rachelle Mallik, MA, RDN agrees, adding that “including whole-grain or whole-wheat bread to your diet can be an easy way to increase your whole grain intake.” The word “whole” implies all three parts of the kernel—the bran, germ and endosperm—were included when the grain was processed into flour. That maximizes its nutritional composition. Read more here.

EU’s Wheat Export Restrictions Explained

Reuters reports that farmers in eastern Europe initially benefitted from the Ukraine conflict as prices for their crops rose sharply in line with global grain markets. They have, however, faced increased competition in local markets from Ukrainian grain and oilseeds. The farmers have also found it more difficult and more expensive to transport their crops because of the added Ukrainian volume. Read more here.

American Woman Named 2023 World Food Prize Recipient

Heidi Kühn of the United States will receive the 2023 World Food Prize for her farmer-focused development model that revitalizes farmland, food security, livelihoods and resilience after devastating conflict. For more than two decades, she has shown more than a million people living in war-torn regions around the world a way forward for restoring peace and prosperity through agriculture. Read more here.

CIMMYT Director Wins Borlaug CAST Communications Award

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) announces the 2023 Borlaug CAST Communication Award goes to Dr. Alison Bentley, Director of the Global Wheat Programme at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). Bentley is known for her global research on wheat genetics and proficiency in science communication. Bentley has a passion for delivering practical applications from innovation to farmers, extensive reach through communicating and influencing, and mentoring and support of individuals and community efforts. Bentley’s exceptional work in raising awareness about the importance of wheat as a food crop is also evidenced by her wide-ranging list of communication activities. Read more here.

Subscribe to USW Reports

USW publishes various reports and content available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts and wheat industry news, 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 YouTube, and more on LinkedIn.

May 11, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Russia, Wheat Industry News, Wheat Production and Harvest, World Food Programme

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“The ongoing fighting [in Sudan] is preventing WFP from delivering critical emergency food, providing school meals for children, or preventing and treating malnutrition. WFP also cannot carry out its work to support farmers to boost agriculture productivity in a project that aims to more than double Sudan’s annual wheat production, nor help people rebuild their livelihoods.” – UN World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain. Read more here.

Obscuring Price Discovery

Cargill’s world trading head Alex Sanfeliu told Bloomberg recently that Russia’s increased control of its wheat exports threatens to obscure prices and curb efficiency in the global grains market. “The price discovery is going to be way more opaque,” and because Russian wheat tends to be the price setter “that puts an additional difficulty for all the wheat traders across the globe.” Read more here.

Bearish News

Barchart Analyst Sean Lusk noted three bearish market factors for wheat this week: rain (finally) in the parched Southern Plains; Canadian spring wheat planting intention estimate coming in above trade expectations; and a UN-confirmed Russian export deal that may have side-stepped Western sanctions. Lusk also commented that “managed funds have pushed out to a net short of approximately 130,000 contracts…that seems to be nearing the record managed short of 171,000 last decade.”

Canadians to Seed More Wheat

Statistics Canada reported this week that farmers will seed 26.968 million acres of wheat, up 6.2% from 2022, the largest area since 2001, if achieved. Spring wheat area is expected to increase 7.5% to 19.39 million acres, durum wheat is expected to edge up 0.9% to 6.06 million acres, while winter wheat area (mostly soft red winter in eastern Canada) is forecast up 12.7% to 1.52 million acres. Mike Jubinville with MarketFarm said, “The gain in spring wheat was anticipated. The one surprise … is a rise rather than slight decline registered in this report on durum acres.” Read more here.

Striking Workers Target Canadian Port

The Wheat Growers Association has called for the Canadian government to allow outside workers to weigh and inspect grain at a Vancouver port as a massive strike by public sector workers threatens shipments. Unionized inspectors at the Cascadia Terminal have purposely targeted the port, according to a news release by the group, which advocates for farmers. The protests could further tighten global supplies already affected by the war in Ukraine.

Rain Arrives; Too Late for Regional HRW Wheat?

Local media are reporting on a good, soaking rain over much of the exceptional drought areas in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado this week. Southwestern Kansas farmer and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) director Gary Millershaski told Brownfield Network rain is “going to help me plant some dryland corn and a lot of milo [sorghum],” but it will not help his winter wheat. In Okarche, Okla., northwest of Oklahoma City, wheat farmer and USW Vice Chairman Michael Peters said rain this week will help with grain fill and could help push his winter wheat yields up to an average of about 25 bushels per, lower than normal but more than expected before the rain.

National Weather Service map of southwest Kansas showing accumulated rainfall on April 26, 2023

Rain At Last. Substantial rain fell in southwestern Kansas April 26, the literal center of an area of exceptional drought. The rain was welcome but mainly as an opportunity to plant spring crops like corn or grain sorghum (milo).

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USW publishes various reports and content available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts and wheat industry news, 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 YouTube, and more on LinkedIn.

April 27, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Market and Crop Analysis, Supply and Demand, Wheat Industry News, Wheat Production and Harvest

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“Until some of these geopolitical conflicts are resolved — it’s difficult to envision a return to the level of free trade we enjoyed through the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Difficult as it may be, governments must resist the urge to limit or ban grain exports unless the food security situation in their countries is truly dire. The fate of a growing number of food insecure people on this planet — estimated at nearly 350 million people (more than the population of the United States) in 2023 by the World Food Programme — depends on it.” – Arvin Donley, Editor, World Grain. Read more here.

SW Kansas: “One of the Worst Wheat Crops in 50 Years”

That is how wheat farmer and agricultural journalist Vance Ehmke described the situation in the southwestern corner of Kansas. Ehmke said there will be “no dryland [winter] wheat at all” this year there and extending about 160 kilometers into the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles and southeastern Colorado. “I looked at 30 to 35 years of Kansas wheat crops and abandonment runs about 10%. I could see 25% abandoned here this year with very low yields on the rest,” he wrote in The Hutchinson News. See also Bloomberg News’ video summary here.

Winter Wheat Conditions Still Lower

Farm broadcaster Ron Hays’ Oklahoma Farm Report notes the April 10 USDA NASS Crop Progress Report shows U.S. winter wheat conditions are tied with 1996 for the lowest rating in 40 years. Nationwide, winter wheat is 27% good to excellent. That is down one point from the previous week and compares to 32% good to excellent at the same time in 2022. Read more here.

The Passing of Joe Kejr

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) joins so many others in our industry in expressing our condolences to the family of Ottawa County, Kan., farmer Joe Kejr, who passed away suddenly April 8, 2023. “Joe loved being a wheat farmer — thoughtfully growing, observing and discussing the crop throughout each unique season,” said Justin Knopf, immediate past president of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and close family friend. “We will miss his focus and efforts on building relationships, trust and unity throughout the industry. His example, steady presence, leadership and friendship will be sorely missed by so many of us here in his community and across the country.” Learn more about the Kejr’s farm operation here.

China to Lead 2022/23 Wheat Import Volume

USDA reports that Chinese wheat imports are forecast up to 12.0 million tons in 2022/23—the country’s highest level of imports since 1995/96 when imports reached 12.5 million. Domestic grain prices have remained high given the country’s minimum support price policy and reduced auction activity amidst uncertainty surrounding the government’s COVID-19 policies. Competitive pricing has prompted China to import large volumes of both milling and feed quality wheat. Australian wheat is especially competitive following 3 consecutive years of record crops. China continues to aggressively purchase Australian wheat supplies, with July-February imports up 66% compared to the previous year. Read more.

2023 Hard Winter Wheat Quality Tour Registration Ends May 1

The tour, sponsored by the Wheat Quality Council, will be May 15 to 18. Register for the Wheat Tour at wheatqualitycouncil.org. The tour brings in participants from around the world who interact with Kansas farmers, network with their peers, learn more about wheat production while they assess the condition and yield potential of the hard winter wheat crop across the state of Kansas. USW will report on tour results in Wheat Letter.

April 13, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Market and Crop Analysis, Plant Breeding Innovation, Supply and Demand, Wheat Industry News, Wheat Production and Harvest

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“In my view, [news that Cargill and Viterra will stop loading Russian grain] puts more questions around Russia’s ability to export. Russian state exporters claim that they’ll be able to keep grain moving out at the same pace, but major speculative funds holding large short positions may lack confidence in that currently, supporting the recent price recovery as they exit short positions. [March 29] Chicago wheat showed modest gains. All eyes will be focused on [upcoming USDA reports].” Sean Lusk, analyst with Barchart.com.

UK Establishes Scientific Plant Breeding Regulation

On March 23, a United Kingdom (UK) Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament and law. The regulation covers precision-bred plants and animals developed through techniques such as gene editing, which is different from genetic modification, and create a new science-based and streamlined regulatory system to facilitate greater research and innovation in precision breeding while maintaining stricter regulations for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Read the entire story here.

Cooperators Call for Increased Export Promotion Funding

In a period when inflation has raised the cost of everything in the U.S. wheat export supply chain, agricultural producers and processors have asked Congress to double the funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program. Both have not had funding increases since 2006 and 2002 respectively. According to USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor, requests for MAP and FMD monies have far exceeded current funding. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) is one of the organizations that cooperates with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service programs to conduct trade service and technical support for export customers. Read the entire story here and visit www.AgExportsCount.com.

National Ag Day Celebration

On March 21 the United States celebrated 50 years of National Ag Day. Started in 1973, National Ag Day increases public awareness about agriculture’s vital role in society. This year, events included grassroots activities across America, and strong social media coverage. Events in Washington, D.C. highlighted U.S. ag’s global impact. The day began with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressing a lively crowd at the USDA, saying “every day should be Ag Day.” Later in the day, a Taste of Ag reception was held at the Library of Congress. Here’s a short video tribute to U.S. farmers, ranchers, and dairy operators:

Cargill to Suspend Grain Export Elevations in Russia

Food and agricultural company Cargill announced March 28 it “will stop elevating Russian grain for export in July 2023 after the completion of the 2022-2023 season.” In addition, Viterra announced March 29 it will also stop loading Russian grain. Cargill owns a stake in the grain terminal in the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk but did not specify if it was selling the stake. Reuters reported that Cargill’s shipping unit will continue to carry grain from the country’s ports. Reuters added that the move stoked concerns about global grain supplies disrupted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, lifting benchmark wheat futures prices this week from earlier losses.

India Cuts Wheat Harvest Estimate

The Indian government could reduce its wheat harvest estimate as unseasonal showers and hailstorms led to sizable damage to the wheat crop in the Indian states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, sources in the agriculture ministry told S&P Global Commodity Insights. According to government sources, the production estimates for marketing year 2022-23 (April-March) are likely to reduce by up to 2 million metric tons (MMT) from the projected output of 112.2 million mt, a record harvest. S&P Global noted however that surveyed market participants expect Indian’s wheat harvest to be lower.

March 30, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the U.S. Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“Overall, U.S. producers export more than 20 percent of what they produce, with numerous commodities exporting more than 70 percent of U.S. production. This underscores the importance of trade promotion programs contained in the farm bill … For U.S. producers to remain competitive in international markets in the face of high and rising foreign subsidies, tariffs, and non-tariff trade barriers of countries such as China, further investments in these [export market development] programs may well be required.” – U.S. House Committee on Agriculture “Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Views and Estimates Letter to the House Budget Committee.”

Reuters: Global Commodity Markets Remain Tentative

Reuters journalist Karl Plume on March 13 wrote that a patchwork of fixes and increased crop plantings around the world to counter the impact of war in Ukraine on global grain supplies are not enough to ward off further risks of disruption. “The world has had some time to patch some holes,” said Dan Basse, president of AgResource Co in Chicago, in the article. He cited larger-than-anticipated Russian wheat exports and the grain export corridor deal that allowed grain to be exported from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. “If we don’t have another supply shock somewhere, the world can get by on the diminishment of Ukrainian grain,” said Basse. “But it’s tenuous. Things have to go right.” Read the entire story here.

Analyst: Wheat Prices Do Not Match Market Factors

Todd Hultman, lead analyst with DTN/Progressive Farmer, is perplexed by wheat prices relative to the very tight global supply situation and disruptive nature of the Russia/Ukraine conflict. In a recent article he compared the market situation today to 2013 when supply concerns pushed U.S. wheat prices to a level that, after factoring in inflation, would be higher than current prices. “You probably won’t be surprised to hear that, among the big three crops over the past 23 years, wheat prices have the least correlation to their supply situations,” Hultman wrote. “It pains me to say I don’t have a better explanation of why wheat prices are this low [relative to prices in 2013] …” Read Hultman’s entire analysis here.

Best Wishes to Terry Herman

USW Chief Technology Officer Terry Herman retired from U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) March 10 after 30 years of service. Over those years, Terry led USW’s evolution to digital communications and management systems. He built data base infrastructure essential for our work with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and reporting annual U.S. crop quality data. Terry created and maintained USW’s website www.uswheat.org for many years. And as our company’s “computer guy,” he kept his colleagues updated with the latest hardware and software. Most recently, he transitioned data management to “the cloud” and, in a very timely effort, introduced “Microsoft Teams” collaboration software to USW just weeks before the pandemic started. Everyone at USW thanks Terry for his service and friendship and wishes him well in retirement!

Wheat Growers Play Role in Climate Policy Debate

Red River Farm Network recently reported on the implications of what it called the changing dynamics surrounding climate change and farming. Ada, Minn., farmer Tate Petry, a member of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) Environment Subcommittee, told the network that the wheat industry is challenged because it is so varied. “We have growers in Washington, Idaho and Oklahoma with practices that are so much different than what works for us, so that’s what we work on in NAWG, determining the implications of certain policy decisions growers and different classes of wheat.” Petry said the focus on climate-smart agriculture brings to the forefront the positive things already happening on the farm. Listen to the interview.

New NAWG Officers Elected

Brent Cheyne was elected NAWG President for 2023/24. Brent farms with his son Rodney near Klamath Falls, Ore., where they raise wheat, barley, oats, alfalfa, and cattle. In 2011, Cheyne served as president of the Oregon Wheat Growers League before accepting the position of NAWG Secretary in 2015. The newly elected slate of officers include: Keeff Felty from Oklahoma, Vice President; Pat Clements from Kentucky, Treasurer; Jamie Kress from Idaho, Secretary; and Nicole Berg from Washington state, Past President. Congratulations to these wheat farmer national leaders. Read more here.

Subscribe to USW Reports

USW publishes various reports and content available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts and wheat industry news, 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 YouTube, and more on LinkedIn.

March 16, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Wheat Industry News

News and Information From Around the U.S. Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“Mark’s passing is a great personal and professional loss for our organization and the wheat farmers we serve. Mark embraced his work and our mission with enthusiasm; as a result, our technical experts are better equipped and motivated partners for our many customers across the world. Our most sincere sympathy goes out to Mark’s family and to the wheat community he loved.” — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) President Vince Peterson on the passing of Vice President of Global Technical Services Mark Fowler Feb. 20, 2023.

Viterra’s Acquisition of Gavilon

Gavilon has been officially rebranded as Viterra across its business in the United States and Mexico, following Viterra Ltd.’s purchase of the grains origination and storage and food ingredients business of Gavilon Agriculture Investment Inc. in 2022. Omaha, Neb., will remain the headquarters for Viterra’s U.S. and Mexico business. This change will not impact any open contracts, banking information, or tax identification numbers, the company said. Read more here.

McGovern-Dole Food Aid Applications Open

USDA FAS is accepting fiscal year 2023 applications for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, which helps support education, child development and food security in low-income, food-deficit countries around the globe. Information can be found on Grants.gov and on the Food Aid Information System website at: https://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid-information-system.

Pacific Rim Trade Barriers

Wheat farmers are well-suited to benefit from bilateral trade agreements that parallel the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, says Dalton Henry, USW Vice President of Policy. “We don’t need back in CPTPP immediately, because right now we’re back on a level playing field with the Canadians and Australians,” Henry said. “So when you hear other commodity groups pounding that drum a little harder, with a little bit more urgency, it’s probably because they still face barriers we were fortunate enough to get taken care of.” Read the article from Capital Press here.

World Food Prize Nominations

The World Food Prize Foundation said this week it is accepting nominations for its 2024 World Food Prize Laureate until May 1. The foundation published the eligibility criteria and said the prize “is the preeminent award for individuals improving our global food system.” Learn more here.

New Grain Facility Aims Toward PNW

CHS Inc. is calling a new 1.1 million bushel grain facility, to be built this spring in southeastern South Dakota. The main destination for the wheat and corn from the facility is the Pacific Northwest for export, the company said. The facility will feature “fast and efficient receiving and loadout capabilities” according to a press release. Read more here.

No BASF Hybrid Wheat for North American Farmers

Global chemicals and crop seeds company BASF announced this week it is halting development of hybrid wheat in North America after results of seed trials failed to reach development goals. BASF said it will instead focus development of the new type of wheat in European markets, aiming to launch the technology there “toward the end of the decade,” the company said.

Subscribe to USW Reports

USW publishes various reports and content available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts and wheat industry news, 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 YouTube, and more on LinkedIn.

March 2, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the U.S. Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“Jim Pellman brings a broad skill set in agriculture and wheat production to the officer team at USW and follows earlier NDWC members who served as USW officers and Chairs during the past four decades: J. Ole Sampson of Lawton, Cecil Watson of Cavalier, Alan Lee of Berthold, and Brian O’Toole of Crystal, North Dakota.” Neal Fisher, Administrator, North Dakota Wheat Commission. Pellman was elected to serve as USW Secretary-Treasurer starting in July 2023 for 2023/24.

Photo Above: Wheat Leaders Greet Members of Congress

National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Nicole Berg (left) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Chair Rhonda K. Larson (right) greet Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee (center) at the “Wheat 106” educational event and reception Jan. 13, 2023. At the event, growers and industries engaged in wheat production and processing informed Members of Congress and their staff about how vast and important the wheat value chain is to the U.S. economy and food supply.

Snow Makes Grain

Over 2 meters (78 inches) of snow this winter has eased farmer Lee Lubbers’ moisture concerns about his South Dakota wheat crop. After a four month stretch last summer and fall with almost no measurable precipitation, “the snow will provide the moisture we need to get our [winter] wheat crop off to a good start. This was a big concern as 2022 came to an end,” Lubbers told Successful Farming. In 2022, South Dakota farmers produced about 1.1 million metric tons of hard red winter and hard red spring wheat.

Call for Entries in “Greater Grain” National Wheat Yield Contest

The National Wheat Yield Contest (NWYC) is accepting entries for 2023. Farmers growing winter, spring, irrigated or dryland wheat are encouraged to get their entries in now. There are a couple of changes to this year’s contest rules. There is now only one deadline and one price for entries per growing season. Winter wheat entries are due May 15, 2023, and spring wheat entries are due August 1, 2023. Read more here.

Congratulations to Dr. Brett Carver on Receiving OSU Eminent Faculty Award

“As leader of the Wheat Improvement Team, Dr. Carver has unparalleled success in the development of plant variety cultivars with a record five wheat varieties in 2020,” said Tom Coon, vice president and dean of Oklahoma State University’s college of agriculture. Carver collaborates with the Wheat Foods Council to advocate for wheat and to educate the public on wheat products through a video series. He served on trade team delegations for U.S. Wheat Associates and the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and has been named a Fellow in both the Crop Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy. Read an interview with Dr. Carver here.

Past Chair of House Ag Committee Named Wheat Leader

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) named U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-GA) its 2022 Wheat Leader of the Year Award for his work as the Chair of the House Agriculture Committee during the 117th Congress. “We appreciate all the work Rep. Scott does on behalf of wheat farmers and are proud to present him with the 2022 Wheat Leader of the Year Award,” said NAWG President and Washington wheat farmer Nicole Berg. NAWG also presented six other Members of Congress with its Wheat Advocate Award for their support in 2022. Read more here.

UK Farmer Sets Guinness World Record Wheat and Barley Yields

In 2022, United Kingdom grain grower Tim Lamyman, who farms 600 hectares in the county of Lincolnshire achieved a wheat yield of 17.96 metric tons (MT)/hectare (267 bu/acre), beating the previous record of 17.40 MT (259 bu/acre) from New Zealand farmer Eric Watson in 2020. He also registered a barley yield of 16.21 MT (310 bu/acre) to the hectare, beating his own world record by two metric tons. Read more here.

Research Shows Wheat is Good for Soil Health

Dr. Laura Van Eerd, professor of sustainable soil management at Canada’s University of Guelph-Ridgetown, has studied long-term soil characteristics and changes as part of research started in 1995. Of all treatment combinations, including wheat in a rotation has been the greatest factor in improved soil function over time, greatly increasing soil organic matter (SOM). Increasing organic matter in soils has implications for the soil’s water holding capacity and the soil’s nitrogen cycling capability. Listen to more in a Michigan State University Extension podcast.

USDA Funding Advances “Climate Smart” Farming

USDA is releasing the first $850 million in conservation program funding from the $18 billion provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to ramp up adoption of climate-smart farming practices. The new funding will be available through Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Agricultural Conservation Easement Program and Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Provisions in the IRA require the new funding to be targeted toward practices that can build soil carbon and otherwise reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Read more here.

Subscribe to USW Reports

USW publishes various reports and content available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts and wheat industry news, 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 YouTube, and more on LinkedIn.

February 15, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the U.S. Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“The Women in Triticum (WIT) awards are a fantastic way to recognize and support emerging leaders in our community. The impressive cohort of past and present WIT recipients are actively contributing to global efforts to improve crop production and food security.” – Alison Bentley, Director, Global Wheat Program, at CIMMYT.

New Generation of Women Changing Wheat Science

Over the past 12 years, the Jeanie Borlaug Laube Women in Triticum (WIT) Early Career Award has supported 66 early-career women scientists as they build a stronger, more inclusive community of wheat scholars fighting hunger worldwide. CYIMMT announced that the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) has honored six early-career scientists from Morocco, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Italy, Pakistan and China in 2022. Read more here.

Drought, Thin Wheat Stands a Concern

Crop progress for winter wheat in critical production areas might have inched up a bit from December through January but a long and lingering drought continues to threaten production in Texas, Oklahoma, western Kansas and southeast Colorado. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension economist Mark Welch in a recent report noted the latest USDA Crop Progress report shows at the beginning of January, Kansas wheat in combined good and excellent categories was rated at 19%, down from 22% at the beginning of December. For Colorado wheat, 54% was rated good and excellent on January 1, up from 30% in late November. Read more here.

Changing Wheat Flowers to Increase Yields

Like maize and rice, wheat has been the subject of CRISPR-based yield improvements in the past year. The anatomy of flowers in grain crops has long been understood to be an important determinant of individual plant yield. By editing a gene associated with the development of flowers, researchers were able to markedly improve overall yield of in wheat plants in experimental field trials without any reductions of other important properties. Read more in Innovative Genomics.

Congratulations to Michigan Wheat Farmer Dave Milligan

For each of the past 19 years, Michigan Farmer magazine has bestowed the prestigious Master Farmer award on three people who have demonstrated how to farm more effectively, efficiently, environmentally and economically. This year’s honorees include Dave Milligan of Cass City, Mich., who has been a farmer leader with the National Association of Wheat Growers. Also honored were Joe Bryant, Shepard, Mich., and Louis Wierenga Jr. of Hastings, Mich. Read more here.

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February 2, 2023/by Steve Mercer

Wheat Industry News

News and Information from Around the U.S. Wheat Industry

Speaking of Wheat

“Adoption of innovative agricultural technologies is critical to sustainably increase productivity, while reducing the environmental footprint of agricultural production. These breakthroughs can further reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the agricultural supply chain while bolstering food security throughout North America.” – From a statement by 17 agriculture groups urging U.S. Mexican and Canadian leaders to strengthen North American agricultural trade. Read more from “World Grain” here.

NAWG Annual Meeting and Commodity Classic

National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) will hold its annual meeting during Commodity Classic in Orlando, Fla., March 7-11, 2023. NAWG will review important policy and issues related to its advocacy for wheat growers’ interests in the 2023 Farm Bill. The conference will also include the NAWG President/PAC Reception and National Wheat Yield Contest Winners Reception. Read more here.

Grain Foods Foundation Names New Executive Director

Erin E. Ball was selected by the Grain Foods Foundation board of trustees to lead the group in its mission to serve the U.S. grain foods manufacturing, flour milling, and allied trades industries as the hub for science-based, grains-positive thought leadership and research funding and translation. For more information on Ball’s appointment and the Grain Foods Foundation, visit their website here.

Research Shows Effective Pathogen Control in Tempering

Energis Solutions™ has released results from a recent study confirming the effectiveness of its pathogen reduction technology, Guardian™ in reducing common pathogens found in the wheat tempering process. For more information, visit the Energis Solutions website.

Western Gulf Terminal Export News

CHS Inc. and Cargill recently announced they intend to incorporate Cargill’s Houston, Tex., grain terminal into their joint venture, TEMCO LLC that currently operates three facilities in the Pacific Northwest primarily serving Asia-Pacific region grain buyers. “We look forward to expanding our joint venture …,” said Sheryl Wallace, president of North America Grain for Cargill. “We are excited to provide additional market access and opportunities for our farmer customers and to better serve our global demand customers.” Read more here.

“Wheat Academy” Breeds Collaborative Research

Washington State University (WSU) recently sponsored a joint “Wheat Academy” bringing together wheat scientists, farmers and crop consultants to discuss changing challenges and encourage collaborative research solutions. “Wheat Academy lets growers and crop consultants learn the science behind many of the recommendations from WSU Extension,” said event organizer and Professor Drew Lyon. “It also helps scientists hear from them about what they’re seeing in the field, which can drive new research to address emerging problems.” Read more in this article from “Western Farmer-Stockman.”

Subscribe to USW Reports

USW publishes various reports and content available to subscribe to, including a bi-weekly newsletter highlighting recent Wheat Letter blog posts and wheat industry news, 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.

January 19, 2023/by Ralph Loos