Weekly Update for
May 29

On NAWG’s May podcast, we’re spotlighting the National Wheat Yield Contest — an exciting annual competition hosted by the National Wheat Foundation. The contest gives wheat growers across the country a chance to showcase their skills and compete for top honors in wheat production and quality. Dennis Schoenhals, the newest officer at the NWF takes us behind the scenes of this year’s contest and share insights into the Foundation’s ongoing efforts in grower education and outreach. The deadline for Spring Wheat entries is August 1.

On May 28, NAWG joined 365 agricultural groups in sending a letter calling on Congress to enact the Agricultural Labeling Uniformity Act, a bipartisan bill the groups say is needed to protect access for farmers and the public to safe, well-regulated pesticides. The groups—which represent millions of pesticide users from farmers to scientists, and mosquito control to public land managers—say the legislation would reaffirm and clarify long-standing provisions in federal pesticide law regarding labeling requirements.

On May 29, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will provide $1 billion in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) payments to assist livestock producers impacted by drought or wildfire in 2023 and 2024, with payments automatically issued based on existing Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) data. No action is required by producers. This first round of assistance, factored at 35%, is part of the USDA’s commitment under the American Relief Act, 2025, which also authorized $10 billion in economic loss assistance for crop producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP). Additional ELRP aid for other losses, including flooding, will be announced this summer. The USDA encourages producers to check the status of disaster assistance programs via the public landing page at fsa.usda.gov and reminds producers of the ECAP deadline of August 15, 2025.

Last week, U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) issued a joint statement expressing concern over the initial findings of the MAHA Commission Assessment and its potential negative impact on America’s farmers and ranchers. While aligning with President Trump’s vision for a healthier nation, the Chairmen emphasized the need for a risk-based, science-driven approach grounded in peer-reviewed research and stakeholder engagement. They reaffirmed their commitment to oversight and policymaking that protects the health and safety of the nation’s food, fiber, and materials, produced by American farmers, ranchers, and producers.

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced that the committee will hold a business meeting to consider S. 222, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, and a hearing to consider Michael Boren, of Idaho, to be USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. The business meeting and hearing are scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 3 p.m. ET in Room 328A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

On May 27, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a new slate of presidential appointments to key leadership roles at the USDA, including the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Rural Development (RD). These individuals bring diverse backgrounds in public service, agriculture, and community development, with experience ranging from state legislatures, banking, military service, and farming operations. Secretary Rollins emphasized the administration’s commitment to an “America First” agenda, highlighting the new team’s mission to empower farmers, ranchers, and rural communities across the country.

On May 27, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, announced the department is working closely with Mexico to combat the New World Screwworm (NWS), a destructive pest that threatens livestock and agriculture. During a recent call with Mexico’s Secretary Berdegue, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to contain the NWS south of the U.S. border. To bolster eradication efforts, USDA is investing $21 million to renovate a fruit fly facility in Metapa, Mexico, which will produce an additional 60–100 million sterile flies weekly, doubling capacity to push NWS populations further south. Current import restrictions on live animals from Mexico remain in place and are reviewed every 30 days. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) continues collaborating with Mexican officials through technical meetings, regulatory reviews, and upcoming site visits to strengthen surveillance, address obstacles, and ensure proper animal movement controls. These efforts, including the long-standing Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) program, are part of a broader strategy to protect U.S. agriculture, animals, and food supply from NWS.

On May 27, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced an increase of $14.5 million in reimbursements to states for their meat and poultry inspection programs under USDA’s authority, ensuring these critical programs can continue to safeguard the nation’s food supply and support small and medium-sized producers; this funding, part of the Trump Administration’s broader commitment to a safe and secure food system, addresses a funding shortfall left by the previous administration, with leaders from across the nation applauding the move as a key step in protecting public health, supporting farmers and ranchers, and ensuring access to safe, locally-produced meat and poultry for American families.

The contest has always been mindful of the quality of the wheat grown and entered in the contest. In past years, requirements were added so that only contestants with Grade 1 or 2 per Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) would qualify, however, that measurement was only for grain quality, so quality measurements were enhanced in 2022 to include milling and baking quality of the national winners. There continues to be a test weight requirement for the national contest, which is consistent with FGIS Grades 1 and 2 wheats. All contestants are required to save a 10-pound sample of wheat and if they are determined to be a national winner based on yield, their wheat is sent to laboratories to be tested further for grain, milling and baking qualities. This quality component allows the contest to demonstrate to stakeholders that it is possible for high yielding wheat to also be high quality. Contestants have been accepting of this component and are interested in the quality characteristics of the wheat they grow. By evaluating the national winners’ wheat samples for quality, the contest hopes to prove that high yield and high quality are possible and demonstrate ways to achieve these goals. The data gathered from the quality analysis is a concrete way to discuss with stakeholders what industry-desired quality is and how it is being achieved. In future issues of this newsletter, we will discuss what quality tests we run on the national winner’s wheat. 

Leaders of state and national organizations such as NAWG, US Wheat, the National Wheat Foundation and state wheat organizations are invited to apply to hone their skills as advocates for agriculture.  Leadership programs contain communication training, issues training, and advocacy training. Applications are due July 1.

The Wheat Quality Council will sponsor a Hard Spring Wheat and Durum Tour again this July. We will follow our traditional routes and make field stops every 10-15 miles along the way. We will provide expertise in each car to train with throughout the day.  These tours are a great way to both see this year’s crop firsthand and get training in the fields to learn about yield, insects and disease problems that may affect the crop.  We have dinner together each night and hear reports from each car.   We shuffle car assignments each day. It’s a great way to meet others in the industry.  Find the tour map and agenda on the Wheat Quality Council website. Hope you can join us this year and please forward to others that you think might benefit. If you have questions, please contact Dave Green (dave.green.wqc@gmail.com).