March 21, 2019
Precision Agriculture Advances Sustainable Wheat Production
Originally published March 11, 2019
By Steve Mercer, USW Vice President of Communications
No two wheat fields in the world are alike. The fact is, there can be wide variations within a field or even a very small sections of a field. Not that long ago, farmers had limited ability to change production strategies in ways that more directly correlated with this natural variability. Now, however, farmers in the United States and around the world have high-technology systems that allow them to instantly adjust seed, fertilizer and crop protection inputs with near pinpoint accuracy, ensuring the right rates are applied or seeded in the right location while on the go in their field. Read the full article here.
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Main Takeaways from the USDA’s March 2019 World Wheat Supply and Demand Report
Originally published March 14, 2019
By Claire Hutchins, USW Market Analyst
USDA updated its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) on Mar. 8, showing decreased global production and domestic consumption but steady global trade. USDA pegged 2018/19 global production at 733 million metric tons (MMT), 3 percent below last year’s volume of 763 MMT. The United States holds the most exportable supplies at 51 MMT, while Russia’s fall in at 43 MMT, Canada’s at 28 MMT, and the European Union’s (EU) at 27 MMT. Read the full article here.
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U.S. Wheat Farmers Traveling to Spain, Portugal and Morocco to Meet with Customers
Originally published March 15, 2019
Customer service is defined as the process of ensuring customer satisfaction with a product or service. When it comes to international trade relationships, customer service is expanded to include managing relationships and being able to ensure a reliable, quality supply. Read the full article here.
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All of Us Share in Farm and Ranch Losses
Originally published 3/20/2019
Last week, an unusual combination of weather conditions created historic flooding in Eastern Nebraska, Western Iowa and parts of Northeast Missouri that literally wiped out many farms and ranches. In Western Nebraska, where most of the winter wheat in the state is grown, farmers suffered through a very bad blizzard at a time when wheat is normally coming out of dormancy. Read the full article here.
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Weather Disrupts Nearby PNW Basis; Outlook for April and May Improving
Originally published March 21, 2019
By Claire Hutchins, USW Market Analyst
Late winter conditions can make March a difficult month for wheat export supply logistics across the central and northern United States, and the seasonal effects on basis this month were even more challenging. Read the full article here.
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Recent News Releases from USW
Wheat Farmers Welcome New Export Opportunity from Trump Administration Agreement with Brazil
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“Not only would establishing the TRQ increase export opportunities for American farmers, it would also benefit certain Brazilian flour mills that have petitioned their own government in the past to remove the tariff to increase their access to high-quality U.S. wheat.”
— From a letter to President Trump from 11 U.S. Senators encouraging negotiations with Brazil to open a duty-free tariff rate quota on wheat imported from non-Mercosur countries.
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USDA Celebrates National Ag Day with New Youth Website. On March 14, 2019, the USDA joined the nation in celebrating National Ag Day by launching a new Youth and Agriculture website. The new website seeks to engage, empower, and educate the next generation of agricultural leaders by featuring three key components of agriculture-focused youth engagement – classroom studies, experiential learning, and leadership training. Young people can learn about USDA summer outreach programs, youth loans for business projects, outdoor volunteering and employment opportunities.
Agricultural Economist Joins IGP Institute. With more than 25 years of industry experience in international commodities trading and marketing supply chains, Guy H. Allen has been hired as the senior agricultural economist for the IGP Institute beginning March 25, 2019. Allen will lead grain marketing and risk management curriculum and serve as an outreach specialist hosting teams and engaging with IGP Institute stakeholders. He will also work to identify research opportunities and collaborate with other grain science and industry faculty to support their teaching efforts. Read the full release here.
2019 National Wheat Yield Contest. The National Wheat Foundation (NWF) is now accepting grower enrollment for the 2019 National Wheat Yield Contest. The Contest includes winter wheat and spring wheat primary categories and dryland and irrigated subcategories. NFW is accepting winter wheat entries between April and May 15, 2019, and spring wheat entries between June 15 and Aug. 1, 2019. Learn more here.
Pasta Production and Technology Course. The Northern Crops Institute is hosting a Pasta Production and Technology Course April 30 to May 2, 2019, at its facilities in Fargo, ND. This course introduces participants to the fundamental and applied aspects of pasta production and quality. Click here to learn more and register.
Baking with Hard Red Spring Wheat Flour Course. The Northern Crops Institute is hosting a course focused on hard red spring (HRS) wheat and flour May 14 to 17, 2019, at its facilities in Fargo, ND. Participants will spend time in the baking laboratory, making pan breads, hamburger buns, hard rolls, bagels, pizza crusts, wheat-flour tortillas and more. Click here to learn more and register.
Source: U.S. Wheat Associates