Wheat Leaders to Visit Export Customers in Latin America
by U.S. Wheat Associates Posted on 2/15/2011
Larry Hunn, chairman of the California Wheat Commission
Wheat industry leaders from California and Oklahoma will visit export customers in Mexico, Chile and Peru in early March as part of a Board Team trip sponsored by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW). Larry Hunn, a third-generation farmer from Clarksburg, CA, and chairman of the California Wheat Commission and Mike Schulte, CEO of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, will join USW Director of Communications Steve Mercer on the trip.
USW is an export market development organization working in more than 100 countries on behalf of America's wheat producers.
"We promote U.S. wheat as the world's most reliable and valuable supply and nothing brings that claim to life more than connecting producers with their customers," said USW President Alan Tracy. "These are working trips that give our directors the chance to review our work, learn about what milling and baking customers need and to thank them for their business."
Hunn is looking forward to making a personal connection with these buyers and end-users.
"As a U.S. Wheat Associates director, I think it is important that I understand more about our customers and what they think about the work we do to keep demand for our wheat strong," he said. Hunn is a past president of the California Wheat Growers Association and grows hard red winter wheat and several other crops on a family farm in California's Sacramento River delta.
Schulte, who is a late substitute for a producer director from Oklahoma, says he is glad to have a chance to hear what customers think about U.S. wheat quality.
"Export markets are critical for Oklahoma wheat growers," Schulte said. "This will be a great opportunity for me to keep them informed about what Latin American wheat buyers need." Schulte remains involved in wheat production through his family's farm where he has helped host Mexican millers. He directs a four-person staff at the grower-controlled Oklahoma Wheat Commission, which is charged with promoting the state's hard red winter wheat crop.
The first stop for this USW Board Team is Portland, OR. They will get a thorough background on the U.S. wheat export system by USW West Coast office staff, the Federal Grain Inspection Service, the Wheat Marketing Center and private exporters. In Guadalajara and Mexico City, Mexico, Santiago, Chile, and Lima, Peru, the team will meet with key flour millers, bakers and wheat food processor customers as well as U.S. agricultural representatives posted in those countries.
Mercer plans to post updates from the trip in the Discussion section of the U.S. Wheat Associates Facebook page, www.facebook.com/uswheat. Visit that address, "Like" the page and click on Discussion to read updates, ask the Board Team questions or express opinions.
The activities of USW are made possible by producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and through cost-share funding provided by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. For more information, visit www.uswheat.org or contact your state wheat commission.
