August 9, 2018
The EU Fails to Support Scientific Progress Yet Again
Originally published July 27, 2018
This week, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on the regulatory status of plants developed through mutagenesis (which includes many modern plant breeding innovations). They determined that these technologies do fall under the jurisdiction of EU laws regarding GMOs. And with that, they landed a serious blow to the future of agricultural innovation. Read the full article here.
World Wheat Trade Dynamics Dominate 2018 Latin American & Caribbean Buyers Conference
Originally published July 31, 2018
Almost 100 people from 16 countries participated in the 2018 edition of the biennial U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Latin American & Caribbean Buyers Conference July 18 to 20 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Apprehension about a growing number of trade policy issues as the conference started was quickly replaced by enthusiasm for the abundance of opportunities available from the 2018 U.S. wheat harvest and USW’s tradition of service. Read the full article here.
The Art of the (U.S.-EU) Deal
Originally published August 2, 2018
On July 25, we received excellent news after a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker: the United States and European Union had agreed to work towards a trade deal and hold off on any additional tariffs. Read the full article here.
Promoting Wheat Around the World
Originally published August 3, 2018
As U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) President Vince Peterson often says, at any given hour of the day there is someone, somewhere, talking about the quality, reliability and value of U.S. wheat. Wheat Letter wants to share some of the ways USW was working in June and July to promote all six classes of U.S. wheat in an ever more complex world grain market. Read the full article here.
A Mid-Season Look at the U.S. Winter Wheat Harvest for Buyers
Originally published August 6, 2018
U.S. farmers are making good progress now on the second half of their 2018 winter wheat harvests and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) wants to provide a mid-season look at winter wheat harvest and quality in this “Wheat Letter” entry. Read the full article here.
Ahead of USDA Report, Wheat Futures on a Powder Keg
Originally published August 8, 2018
Wheat prices are in for a wild ride. Just last week, all it took to trigger a limit up move in futures prices was a rumor that Ukraine might restrict milling wheat exports. Although the market took back most of those gains after the rumor was retracted, Chicago soft red winter (SRW) futures ended the week up 5 percent while Kansas City hard red winter (HRW) climbed 6 percent and Minneapolis hard red spring (HRS) increased 3 percent. Read the full article here.
Recent News Releases from USW
U.S. Wheat Associates Welcomes New Colleague in Tokyo
“I want people to know that I’m producing a safe product. I think there is a lot of fear around where our food comes from. But hopefully coming straight to the source you can see that we take pride in what we do and we want to produce food that is safe to eat, because our family eats it, too.” — Scott VanAllen, Kansas wheat farmer, speaking at his farm to food bloggers on a visit sponsored by Kansas Wheat and Red Star Yeast
Congratulations. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Regional Program Coordinator Domenique Opperman, based in the Cape Town Office, recently welcomed a baby girl, Calia, who joins father Shaun and big brother Javier.
Best Wishes to Pamela Ann Leckie Wiese who is retiring after serving as an Administrative Assistant in the USW Cape Town office for more than 25 years. USW thanks Pam for her service to U.S. wheat farmers and their customers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
IGP Seeks Ag Economist. IGP International’s long time Senior Agricultural Economist Jay O’Neil retired in late June and IGP is currently seeking national or international candidates to replace him. Ideal candidates will serve as on-site expert on grain trading and risk management, and program manager for the Grain Procurement and Risk Management Curricula. Click here for more information about the position.
Gene Editing Coalition. A multi-stakeholder steering committee of the Coalition for Responsible Gene Editing in Agriculture met recently to “develop a framework that can provide assurance to the food system and other stakeholders that those using gene editing … are doing so responsibly,” said Charlie Arnot, chief executive officer of The Center for Food Integrity (CFI), which facilitates the Coalition. “The framework will provide an opportunity for those engaged in gene editing to demonstrate their commitment to values that build trust.” Click here for more information.
Business World Notices Wheat Weather Market. An article in the “Wall Street Journal” Aug. 4 attributed rising wheat prices to heat-related short crops around the world. The article noted that “after years of over-supply, this year’s heat is hitting wheat yields in key growing areas like Russia, Ukraine, France and Britain, while also affecting the crop in Australia, China and other parts of Asia.” About price increases, AgResource analyst Ben Buckner said: “If everyone comes to the U.S. [wheat farmers] in November, it could be incredible, and that part hasn’t yet been fully digested.” Read more.
New World-grain.com Website. The publication says the new world-grain.com will present users with a fresh layout to access content. With a new navigation system, topics are broken down into multiple categories allowing users to take a surface-level look at news or a deep dive into a topic. For users wanting to browse industry news, they can access the homepage where the newest stories are available. By clicking the “More News” icon, readers can find a feed of latest articles. Read more.
Grain Procurement Management for Importers. The Northern Crops Institute will host this eight-day course, Sep. 10 to 19, 2018, at its facilities in Fargo, N.D. The course will focus on the mechanics of grain merchandising and providing training for individuals responsible for purchasing grain. The registration deadline is Aug. 15, 2018. Learn more about the course here.
IAOM-KSU Basic and Advanced Milling Principles. TextThe IGP Institute will host two short courses focused on milling principles in October at its conference center in Manhattan, Kan. The Basic Milling Principles short course, scheduled Oct. 8 to 12, 2018, will help participants develop a conceptual understanding of the milling process with a focus on mill balance, understanding critical control points in the milling system, and milling different wheat classes. The Advanced Milling Principles short course, scheduled Oct. 15 to 19, 2018 will educate participants on quantitative tools and practices to influence and impact, optimal machine adjustment, milling efficiency and flour quality in the mill. Learn more about the courses here.
Source: U.S. Wheat Associates