Weekly Update for
June 11

This week, NAWG was proud to join Oregon wheat growers for two important events this week: the OSU/USDA-ARS Field Day at Sherman Station and the 100-year celebration of the Oregon Wheat Growers League. The field day highlighted the value of strong partnerships between growers, Oregon State University, USDA-ARS, Extension, and industry partners in advancing practical research that supports wheat production across eastern Oregon and the Columbia Plateau. The OWGL centennial celebration was also a meaningful opportunity to recognize a century of grower leadership, advocacy, and service to Oregon agriculture. Together, the two events underscored the strength of Oregon’s wheat community and the importance of continuing to invest in research, relationships, and grower-driven policy.

This week, NAWG President, Jamie Kress, participated in Bayer Crop Science’s annual Innovations in Crop Science event in St. Louis, Missouri. The event brought together growers, industry leaders, and agricultural stakeholders to explore the latest advancements in crop science and innovation. Attendees toured Bayer’s Chesterfield research and development facilities and participated in networking opportunities with industry professionals. Kress also joined a grower panel featuring four women farmers, where participants discussed the important role women play in agriculture and shared their experiences as leaders in the industry.

NAWG along with a coalition of agricultural organizations, universities, commodity groups, and farm advocates have called on House and Senate Ag Committee leadership to closely examine recent changes within the USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area. The letter raises concerns about significant workforce reductions, proposed laboratory closures and relocations, and delays in distributing federally appropriated research funds, arguing that these actions threaten the research system that supports U.S. agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Signatories note that USDA research provides farmers with innovations in crop production, livestock health, pest management, food safety, and climate resilience. The coalition cites substantial staff losses across key USDA research agencies and warns that relocating or consolidating facilities could result in the loss of valuable expertise and long-term research programs. The groups are calling on Congress to conduct oversight hearings, require greater transparency from USDA, and ensure timely distribution of research funding. They emphasize that strong federal investment in agricultural research is essential for farm profitability, food security, rural economic vitality, and maintaining U.S. leadership in global agriculture. Read the full letter below.

NAWG CEO Sam Kieffer joined growers, millers, researchers, and industry partners at the Mid-Atlantic Soft Wheat Tour Field Day hosted by Penn State’s Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Manheim, Pennsylvania. Sam kicked off the afternoon with a presentation on “Wheat and Washington, D.C.,” providing an update on key federal policy issues impacting wheat growers, including the farm bill, trade, crop protection, and research priorities. The field day also featured presentations from Penn State researchers and industry experts on fungicide management, nitrogen and plant growth regulators, food quality research, and production practices aimed at improving yields and efficiency. Events like the Mid-Atlantic Soft Wheat Tour highlight the importance of connecting growers with research, industry innovation, and policy developments to strengthen the future of the wheat industry.

On June 8, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry advanced Glen Smith’s nomination to serve as USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development. Smith could be considered by the Senate floor as early as this week. If confirmed to the role, he would supervise federal lending and grant programs.

This week, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman stated that the committee is expected to consider a farm bill between mid-July and early August, with draft text of the legislation expected to be released in the coming weeks. Discussions regarding ethanol fuel blends (E15) and shifting costs of SNAP continue. Chairman Boozman addressed the difficulties the House faced with its ethanol bill and stated that he does not expect the committee’s farm bill to permit year-round E15 sales because it falls outside the committee’s jurisdiction. Regarding SNAP cost shifts, the members remain divided, with Democrat members advocating to delay the cost shifts and republican members arguing that the changes are necessary to address payment errors and program improvement.

On June 9, the Tampa Bay, Florida, Fox affiliate aired a segment regarding the DeSantis administration’s claims that it found high levels of pesticides in popular store-bought bread brands. The administration reported detecting glyphosate in six different types of bread; however, the segment clarified the context of these findings, noting that the federal safety limit for glyphosate is measured in parts per million (ppm), whereas the administration’s findings were measured in parts per billion (ppb).  The federal safety limit for glyphosate is 30 ppm, or 30,000 ppb. The highest level detected by the DeSantis administration was 191.04 ppb, which is less than 1% of the federal safety limit. The segment then referenced an announcement published by NAWG, the North American Millers Association (NAMA), and the American Bakers Association (ABA), which stated that a 130-pound adult would need to consume approximately 600 loaves of bread per day for a lifetime to reach the highest glyphosate exposure level identified in the findings. Watch the full segment below.

On June 10, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to discuss agricultural perspectives on the future of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Witnesses included industry leaders representing dairy, forestry, specialty crops, soybeans, meat processing, and international trade, including Michael Lichte of Dairy Farmers of America, Kristen Sawin of Weyerhaeuser, Dave Puglia of Western Growers Association, Jamie Beyer of the American Soybean Association, Michael Schumpp of the Meat Institute, and Neil Herrington of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Throughout the hearing, committee members from both parties emphasized the importance of the USMCA to American agriculture and the economic success of U.S. producers. Discussion centered on identifying policies, rules, and regulatory provisions that could be improved to strengthen the agreement and enhance the competitiveness of American farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses. During her closing remarks, Rep. Brown noted that President Trump had announced during the hearing that he may not renew the USMCA, adding a new dimension to the discussion about the agreement’s future. View the full hearing below.

On June 10, President Trump appointed John Rich as Special Envoy for American Landowners. As Special Envoy, Rich will advocate for America’s farmers, ranchers, and private landowners. He will engage directly with landowners across the nation and work to address challenges they are facing, related to issues such as government overreach and outside interests that threaten private property rights.  A key focus of Rich’s work will be advocating on behalf of landowners facing pressure related to large-scale solar and wind development that may impact productive farmland, ranchland, and rural livelihoods. He will work closely with USDA leadership to ensure the voices of landowners are heard. Read the full article below.

On June 10, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee regarding the USDA’s priorities and programs. Senators focused on several topics affecting agricultural producers, including trade, input costs, farm profitability, and nutrition programs. Trade remained a major topic throughout the hearing. Rollins highlighted the administration’s success in securing 19 new trade agreements and stated that the agricultural trade deficit is expected to decline significantly this year. She also noted that U.S. wheat exports are currently up 8%, reflecting stronger export demand.  Fertilizer costs were another key discussion point. While acknowledging that fertilizer prices remain elevated, Rollins noted that prices have been trending downward and highlighted planned investments in domestic fertilizer production, including new ammonium and phosphorus fertilizer facilities in Louisiana.

Lee Sanders of Lee Sanders Strategy Group published an article in World-Grain highlighting the growing policy momentum around nutrition and grain standards, a proposed FDA rule to define ultra processed foods (UPF), and updated dietary guidelines that could affect school meal programs. She notes the current confusion regarding the lack of a single federal definition of “whole grain” and argues that, rather than characterize grains as “whole” or “refined”, nutrition policy may shift toward emphasizing high nutrient content, specifically fiber. Additionally, Sanders addresses declining whole wheat consumption and emerging high-fiber wheat innovations that could improve public health without changing consumer habits.

The Wheat Quality Council Spring Wheat Tour registration and information are out. The tour will be held July 20-23, 2026. The tour offers an excellent opportunity to meet and interact with others across the industry. The registration and agenda information can be found below.

International wheat buyers rely on data to set specifications for purchasing contracts — bake tests, quality comparisons, performance trials. The Wheat Marketing Center (WMC), based in Portland, Oregon, produces much of that data. Flour Milling Optimization in the Pacific Rim. Traditional ash-based and solvent retention capacity (SRC) flour blending strategies are being compared for their quality optimization potential in SWH flour. Pacific Rim millers, who are among the largest buyers of SWH, use SRC profiles as a key specification when sourcing. Chiffon Cake Quality in Southeast Asia. WMC is developing testing methods for chiffon across SWH and soft red winter (SRW) classes to better predict end quality potential. The findings are expected to inform wheat breeding priorities and buyer specifications in Southeast Asia. Soft Wheat Blending for South America. U.S. soft wheats are increasingly being incorporated into blends to hit end product targets at lower cost. WMC is studying SRW and SWH performance in blends for pan breads and tortillas. The research will give South American millers data they can use when comparing U.S. wheat against wheat from competing origins. Injera Development for East Africa. WMC is testing whether U.S. soft wheat can serve as a partial substitute for teff in Ethiopian injera. Successful performance could open export demand in East African markets where U.S. soft wheat classes have no established presence. DHV Content and Asian Market Competitiveness. U.S. hard red spring (HRS) wheat has lost ground in some Asian markets to Canadian western red spring (CWRS). WMC is studying how different DHV levels affect end product quality with the goal of giving Asian buyers additional quality criteria beyond protein content. Growers fund research at WMC through checkoff and direct contributions, and indirectly through organizations such as U.S. Wheat Associates, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), and state wheat commissions.