Weekly Update for
July 16

It’s been a busy and productive week in Washington, D.C.! NAWG staff and officers kicked things off by celebrating America’s 250th birthday at Mount Vernon alongside Secretary Rollins and fellow agricultural leaders, honoring our nation’s farmers and rich agriculture industry. Throughout the week, NAWG officers met with congressional leaders, Administration officials, and White House staff to discuss the priorities of U.S. wheat growers. These conversations focused on advancing policies that strengthen the farm economy, expand market opportunities, and ensure growers have the tools they need to remain competitive. By sharing the perspectives of wheat farmers from across the country, NAWG continued advocating for commonsense solutions that support rural communities and the future of American agriculture.

This week, NAWG President Jamie Kress attended the Celebrating Women in American Agriculture event in Washington, D.C. The event brought together leaders from across the agriculture industry and government to recognize the contributions of women to American agriculture and discuss key issues shaping the future of the industry. Featured speakers included Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy; Amy France, Chair of National Sorghum Producers; Ambassador Julie Callahan of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.); and Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).

NAWG was featured in a recent Fortune article highlighting the organization’s opposition to Bayer’s request that the federal government impose import duties on Chinese-made glyphosate.  Bayer subsidiaries Monsanto and Ruveon LLC filed petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the ITC seeking antidumping and countervailing duties on imported Chinese glyphosate. In response, NAWG CEO Sam Kieffer and leaders from other agricultural organizations warned that additional duties would increase input costs for producers already facing weak commodity prices, high production expenses, and continued market uncertainty. Read the full article below.

On July 8, the Wheat Foods Council (WFC) announced Sheri Glazier as its new executive director. Glazier is a wheat farmer and registered dietitian from Loyal, Oklahoma. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Oklahoma State University and is the founder of Dirt Road Dietitian, a multifaceted program focused on connecting nutrition science and agriculture. She will assume the role of executive director on August 18, 2026.

Ukraine and Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Thursday on vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, stepping up hostilities in a zone vital for grain exports that have triggered a rise in global wheat prices. Ukraine's military said it struck six Russian tankers and two tugboats, while Russia's defense ministry said its forces hit a maritime vessel and a speedboat of the Ukrainian armed forces while they were enroute to ports in the Odessa region.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman indicated that the earliest the committee could mark up the 2026 farm bill is next week, though he suggested the following week is more likely. The timeline depends in part on the return of Senator Mitch McConnell, who has been absent from the Senate since mid-June following a fall. With the committee narrowly divided between 12 Republicans and 11 Democrats, member absences can complicate efforts to advance legislation. Boozman said the committee has been waiting for McConnell’s return before moving forward with the markup.

House Republicans kicked off their plans this week for a third party-line spending bill, releasing a budget resolution that calls for $95 billion in new money for the military and election-related measures. The 47-page measure is the first step in the “reconciliation” process, which allows Republicans to bypass a Senate filibuster and pass legislation without any Democratic support. The text released Wednesday includes instructions for committees on how much to spend on projects as they write the ultimate reconciliation bill. It includes $60 billion in military spending to address the costs of the Iran war. The measure also contains $12 billion for the Agriculture Committee, which is set to be used for farm assistance.

Thanks to our great partners, WestBred, BASF and Dyna-Gro we have been able to provide more in-depth information about the contest winners and the contest. The spotlight section of the Progressive Farmer website has lots of interesting information about the contest. Check it out DTN/The Progressive Farmer - National Wheat Yield Contest here and thank you to our great partners and Progressive Farmer for helping us promote the contest.

Spring wheat entries are due at midnight eastern time on July 31. Please get your entries in now. There are many vouchers available from our great contest partners to pay for your entry. Membership in your state NAWG-affiliated wheat association or direct membership in NAWG is required. Contact Anne Osborne (aosborne@wheatworld.org) if you have any questions. Enter as many fields or varieties as you want, see how your wheat stacks up this year.