Weekly Update for
June 26

Welcome to the June edition of our podcast. This month, we’re joined by Eric Steiner of OFW Law for an inside look at the latest developments on the reconciliation funding bill currently making its way through Congress. We’ll also take you behind the scenes of the National Wheat Foundation’s annual farm tour. Hear firsthand insights from tour host Billy Willard and NWF board member Carl Schwinke as they share key takeaways from this year’s event. Tune in below to stay informed and connected with what’s happening in ag policy and the wheat community.

Last week, NAWG CEO Chandler Goule joined the CEOs of the American Soybean Association, American Sugarbeet Growers Association, and International Fresh Produce Association in publishing an op-ed urging the Supreme Court to hear Bayer's petition. The petition seeks to prevent individual states from imposing labeling requirements for Roundup that conflict with those approved by the EPA under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The op-ed emphasizes the importance of reaffirming the EPA’s science-based regulatory authority and upholding federal law. Doing so will help ensure that U.S. farmers continue to have access to the tools they need to provide Americans with the safest, most abundant, and affordable food supply in the world.

On June 16, The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) applauded President Donald J. Trump’s recent Presidential Memorandum revoking the Biden Administration’s memorandum titled “Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin.” That memorandum had included recommendations to breach one or more of the Lower Snake River Dams—an action NAWG has consistently opposed. “NAWG thanks the Trump Administration for taking this essential step to protect the Lower Snake River Dams,” said NAWG President Pat Clements. “We have long stood against dam breaching because of the devastating economic consequences it would impose on communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and the threat it poses to U.S. wheat’s global competitiveness. We look forward to working with the Trump Administration to preserve this critical infrastructure for generations to come.”

On June 11, the United States Senate confirmed Stephen Vaden as the next Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture. The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) CEO Chandler Goule provided the following statement in response. “Congratulations to Deputy Secretary Vaden on his confirmation. As someone who comes from a farming family, Mr. Vaden brings firsthand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing our nation’s producers and rural communities. NAWG looks forward to working closely with Deputy Secretary Vaden to advance the wheat growers’ priorities and strengthen the future of the wheat industry.”

On June 16, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced expanded agricultural market access for American producers in Thailand, Vietnam, and Brazil. U.S. dairy producers will retain access to Brazil, following a swift resolution to a temporary suspension affecting whey protein exports. Thailand has re-opened its market to apples from eastern U.S. states and amended citrus import requirements to allow Arizona-grown fruit packed in California, expanding market potential by over $5 million annually. In Vietnam, California peaches and nectarines have gained approval under a science-based systems approach, opening a $2.5 million market. These actions reflect the Trump Administration’s efforts to remove non-tariff trade barriers and increase global opportunities for American farmers and ranchers.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) issued a statement on the budget reconciliation process: “To rein in federal spending and protect taxpayer dollars the committee is pursuing meaningful reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to improve efficiency, accountability and integrity. We are continuing to examine options that comply with Senate rules to achieve savings through budget reconciliation to ensure SNAP serves those who truly need it while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

On June 17, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson and 79 bipartisan House members sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging immediate action to prevent a reemergence of the New World Screwworm (NWS) in the United States. The lawmakers called on the USDA to use its authority under the Animal Health Protection Act to construct and operate a domestic sterile fly facility, which would play a critical role in the control and eradication of this devastating livestock pest. Though NWS has been eradicated in the U.S. for decades, recent cases in Mexico have raised alarms about the potential for reentry and the severe economic consequences of an outbreak. USDA estimates show that an NWS outbreak in Texas alone could cost producers $732 million annually and lead to a $1.8 billion loss for the state’s economy. Nationwide, the damage could reach over $4.3 billion for producers and $10.6 billion in total economic losses. Lawmakers stressed the urgency of building a sterile fly facility to prevent the pest’s return, emphasizing that prevention is far more cost-effective than eradication and vital to protecting livestock, food security, and rural economies.

On June 25, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a broad slate of presidential appointments to key leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to putting "Farmers First." The appointees bring a range of experience from Capitol Hill, state governments, nonprofits, and private industry. Notable appointments include Chris Berardi as Senior Legislative Advisor, Elena I. Crosby as Chief of Staff for Civil Rights, Caleb Crosswhite as Deputy General Counsel, and Dr. Lauren Stump as Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. USDA’s mission areas also saw leadership updates, with Courtney Stevens appointed as Chief of Staff for Natural Resources and Environment and Edward Newburn named Senior Advisor for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. In Rural Development, J.R. Claeys was named Administrator of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service and Karl Elmshaeuser as Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service. The Farm Service Agency welcomed leaders such as Trina L. Brake as Deputy Administrator for Field Operations and Mary Catherine Cromley as Chief of Staff. The Natural Resources Conservation Service gained several new advisors, including Jimmy Emmons as Assistant Chief and Kelli Evans as Senior Advisor. These appointments aim to strengthen USDA’s efforts in agricultural policy, rural development, conservation, and farmer support while advancing the administration’s priorities across all mission areas.

This week, USDA release the June World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, which provides critical annual forecasts for the supply and use of U.S. and global wheat, rice, coarse grains, oilseeds, and cotton. The U.S. wheat market shows slightly increased supplies due to higher Soft Red Winter and White Winter production, offsetting lower Hard Red Winter yields, with total production projected at 1.921 billion bushels and an unchanged yield of 51.6 bushels per acre. Exports rose by 25 million bushels to 825 million on strong early sales, particularly of HRW, while domestic use remains unchanged. Read the full report below.

The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) issued the following statement after releasing the updated text for the committee’s budget reconciliation package: “I’m proud of the legislation we’ve crafted that reflects Senate Republican policy priorities. This is a practical approach to improve SNAP by reducing waste, enhancing accountability, and encouraging recipients to move toward self-reliance through work and training. We also invest in America’s farm families by providing essential risk management tools and modernizing the farm bill’s safety net to help producers continue to farm. This package represents a strong commitment to rural America,” Chairman Boozman said.

Senator Amy Klobuchar, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, issued a statement following the Senate Parliamentarian's determination that provisions in the Republican reconciliation bill violate the Senate’s Byrd Rule and would require 60 votes to pass. These provisions include shifting SNAP costs to states, with state contributions increasing based on payment error rates. “The Parliamentarian has made clear that Senate Republicans cannot use their partisan budget to shift major nutrition assistance costs to the states that would have inevitably led to major cuts. While Republicans’ proposed cuts to SNAP will still be devastating to families, farmers, and independent grocers across the country, we will keep fighting to protect families in need. Instead of a rushed partisan process, Republicans should work with us to lower costs for Americans and pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that works for all farmers and rural America.”

On June 24th, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02) released a statement regarding the fiscal year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies funding bill, which was advanced out of the House Appropriations Committee on June 23rd. “Rural America is facing a crisis right now, and taking resources away from the Farm Service Agency, Rural Development and the Natural Resources Conservation Service does not help America’s family farmers or rural communities. Slashing value-added producer grants and Food for Peace takes money out of farmers’ pockets. Underfunding agriculture research programs puts American farmers at a disadvantage. Undermining efforts to level the playing field for small- and medium-sized farms makes markets less fair and harder for family farmers to compete. I strongly oppose this agriculture appropriations bill.”

Anne Osborne, Mark Haugland and Brian Walker from the National Wheat Foundation attended the summer meeting of the Wheat Foods Council in Minneapolis, MN last week. Jamie Kress, Vice President of NAWG also attended. The meeting was an excellent opportunity for the wheat industry to think strategically about the future and how to collaborate and be more efficient. Both NAWG and NWF answered questions about their mission, programs, and priorities. Many thanks to the Wheat Foods Council for their leadership and excellent meeting.

The National Wheat Foundation hosted its 5th Farm Tour for Congressional Staff and USDA employees at the Willard Farms near Poolesville, MD this week on Tuesday, June 24th. Read more below.

Many events occurred from the 1850's to the 1950's. In our industry, it was the introduction of Turkey Red wheat. A hard wheat class suited to grow in the Kansas plains which provides the backbone for yeast leavened bakery products like bread. Many do not know wheat is not an indigenous crop to the USA. Today it is grown from TX to SD and all points in between as well as the Pacific Northwest. As the industrial revolution grew at the turn of the century, there were issues with Milling and Baking quality. As the population centers grew and demand for wheat-based foods increased, a number of professionals worked on establishing standards for quality. The American Association of Cereal Chemists was established in 1915. Analytical tools to measure the gluten forming proteins such as the farinograph, alveograph and mixograph were invented. These tests measured how much flour could hold water, how it would mix and how much processing tolerance a dough may expect to have in industrial and artisan bakery applications. We measure enzyme activity with the falling number as we know too much activity can impact end product quality. We do experimental milling tests to establish flour yield potential and several quality parameters to deliver consistency to the bakery which is critical. As these analytical tests evolved and became benchmarks to establish what was needed on the mill and in the bakery, more collaboration with wheat breeders and agronomists became an important part of our collective business. The Wheat Quality Council was established in 1938 for these collaborative activities. The generations of Breeders, Chemists, Millers and Bakers have worked together to establish the needs of how each other's industries evolve as everything changes over time. The Wheat Yield Contest provides good insight into understanding the need to maximize production while keeping our eyes on the evolving quality needs of those producing the wheat-based foods so important to our lives. Next time we will discuss the bake testing done with these high yielding varieties and how many in the trade views are what is important. It is not a surprise that quality means different things to different people.