Weekly Update for
September 17

This week, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry advanced the Agricultural Act of 2026, moving a comprehensive, five-year farm bill one step closer to consideration by the full Senate. NAWG applauds the Committee’s action and appreciates Chairman John Boozman and members of the Committee for continuing to move the farm bill process forward. The legislation includes several priorities important to wheat farmers, including support for agricultural research, risk-management and trade programs, expanded access to agricultural credit, and the permanent transfer of the Food for Peace program to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.“ Wheat farmers have waited far too long for the certainty of a new farm bill, and today’s vote is an important step toward finally getting this legislation across the finish line,” said NAWG CEO Sam Kieffer. “We applaud Chairman Boozman and members of the Committee for addressing many of the challenges facing wheat farmers and moving this legislation forward. Read the full statement here.

This week, NAWG hosted 17 members who joined more than 70 farmers from several commodity organizations for a multi-commodity fly-in to Washington, D.C. Producers met with members of Congress to highlight the critical role the farm bill plays in keeping American agriculture competitive. NAWG’s participants also met with USDA Under Secretary Fordyce to discuss county office staffing, program delivery, and identifying the unforeseen challenges of the supplemental disaster relief program. NAWG also met with representatives from the EPA. The fly-in provided an important opportunity for growers to share their perspectives directly with policymakers and underscore the need for timely action on a new farm bill and other critical matters impacting America’s farm families.

We are excited to announce the launch of the NAWG Awards Program, a new way to recognize the wheat growers and state wheat organizations whose leadership, advocacy, and innovation are shaping our industry's future. Recipients will be honored at Commodity Classic, giving them a well-deserved spotlight in front of the entire wheat community. Four awards are up for nomination this year: the Distinguished Service Award, Bridge Builder Award, and Emerging Leader Award for growers, and the Innovation in Advocacy Award for state wheat organizations. Nominations are open now through November 15, 2026. We encourage you to think about the growers and organizations in your network who deserve this recognition and submit a nomination via email to me at skieffer@wheatworld.org. Full details on award criteria, eligibility, and what to include in a nomination can be found below. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.

On September 16, the House Agriculture Committee held a full committee hearing examining how Congress and the agricultural industry can increase demand for American-grown products and expand markets for farmers, ranchers, foresters, and other agricultural producers. Six witnesses representing a range of agricultural sectors including fresh produce, farming, the Colorado Farm Bureau, agricultural bioproducts, the lumber industry, and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union shared perspectives on opportunities to strengthen demand for U.S. agricultural products. During the hearing, Representative Tracey Mann highlighted the recent transfer of Food for Peace from the State Department to USDA, noting that the program serves a dual purpose: providing food assistance overseas while creating a market for American-grown agricultural products. He also emphasized the important role U.S. farmers play in supplying food for the program. Watch the full committee hearing below.

Corteva announced that Vylor, its future seed and genetics spin-off, will launch Xpedite, the system used to create its proprietary hybrid wheat, in late 2027. Research conducted over several years has confirmed that this hybrid wheat consistently produces strong yields and demonstrates resilience against a variety of conditions. Vylor plans to launch hard red winter wheat in 2027, followed by soft red winter wheat in 2029 and hard red spring wheat in 2030, while also expanding sales outside of North America. Vylor’s hybrid wheat produces grain that meets the same quality standards as varietal wheat and does not require specialized equipment or management.

On September 16, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the American Biofuels Trade Outlook, a plan that builds upon 2025’s record U.S. ethanol export performance, removes restrictions to American biofuels, and secures new market opportunities for U.S. farmers. “2025 marks the strongest year for ethanol exports in the history of the U.S., supporting our great American farmers. This record setting 2.2 billion gallons of U.S. ethanol shipped across the world this past year representing $4.7 billion is not by accident, it reflects the hard work of America's farmers and the powerful leadership of President Trump,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. "This milestone demonstrates how American innovation and rural investment can deliver prosperity for consumers and producers at home and around the globe. American farmers are fueling the future, and the American Biofuel Trade Outlook outlines the USDA's exact plan to ensure that success continues, and America's producers continue to prosper.”

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has launched AgInsights, a new data dissemination tool designed to modernize how producers access and interact with agricultural statistics. The application builds on NASS’s existing data products and services by providing a more streamlined, interactive experience and making it easier for producers to navigate and access timely agricultural data. Access to timely, reliable information is an important resource for producers of all sizes and across all stages of their operations. AgInsights is intended to make agricultural data more accessible and easier to use, helping producers find and apply information to support farm and business decisions. “AgInsights is an important step forward in how producers interact with agricultural statistics. By streamlining information delivery and integrating advanced technologies, we’re making it easier for producers to access, analyze, and apply the latest data to their operations,” said NASS Administrator Joseph L. Parsons.

Two of the National Wheat Foundation Directors’ second terms will expire in 2027; Scott Brown (ID) and Jeff Blackwood (industry). We want to thank and recognize Scott and Jeff for their tremendous contributions to the board. We are calling for anyone interested in serving on the National Wheat Foundation Board to submit your name, in writing, along with a brief resume to Boyd Heilig, NWF nomination committee chair (heiligb18@gmail.com) or Anne Osborne, NWF Executive Director (aosborne@wheatworld.org) by October 9th, 2026. Board terms are three years, and there is a maximum of two terms. The board holds two in-person meetings per year, plus it attends the Commodity Classic where they host the National Wheat Yield Contest winner’s reception.

Contestants in the 2026 contest have less than 2 weeks to put in their harvest data and complete their entries. The deadline is October 1, midnight eastern time. If you have any questions or need help, please contact Anne Osborne before the deadline (aosborne@wheatworld.org). Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest. Make sure to finish up with your harvest data, the contest uses all the data collected to learn more about raising high yield, quality and profitable wheat.

Our contest partner, Dyna-Gro has many helpful resources for farmers and others interested in weather. The daily weather video done by Eric Snodgrass is always interesting and informative. Thank you, Dyna-Gro, for supporting wheat growers.