an have relied for years on US farmers to supply most of the wheat they import, but with the competitive global market, US wheat growers are keeping the Taiwan milling industry informed about the quality and value of US wheat.That is why U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) are bringing four milling executives to the United States July 6 to 15, 2014, with assistance from the North Dakota Wheat Commission, Nebraska Wheat Board, Oregon Wheat Commission and California Wheat Commission. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service also provided funding for this trade team event.
“This visit will help us demonstrate the quality of the US hard red spring (HRS), hard red winter (HRW) and soft white wheat these millers want to produce flour for healthy wheat foods,” said USW Country Director Ronald Lu. “The millers are also looking forward to learning more about US hard white (HW) wheat. They currently can only import Australian white wheat that is specifically positioned for use in noodle flour and they hope to encourage farmers and grain handlers in the United States to produce more HW.”
This team will see a wide range of the industry on this visit. In Fargo, ND, the focus is on HRS. Over three days in Nebraska, the team will see how farmers, breeders and seed producers are working to improve HRW and HW yield and quality. The millers will be able to see wheat move by rail and barge to export elevators in Portland, OR, where the Federal Grain Inspection Service independently inspects and certifies that the wheat being shipped meets purchase contract specifications. Finally in Woodland, CA, the California Wheat Commission will demonstrate the unique characteristics of the HRW and HW wheat grown in the state.
Over the past 10 years, U.S. wheat represented nearly 80 percent of Taiwan’s imports with a value estimated at more than $360 million in marketing year 2013/14 (June to May). Compared to an investment of less than $250,000 in producer and FAS funds for export market development in Taiwan, the benefits of these programs to wheat farmers and the entire supply chain from the Pacific Northwest to the northern and central plains is clear.
