Northwest Wheat Industry Welcomes Overseas Buyers

Trade missions from Chile, China and Taiwan all came through the Northwest recently, and more are coming to help showcase the growers, elevators and more in our area.

CEO of the Washington Grain Commission Glen Squires.

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“They want to know about new varieties, see the whole system, so they can be comfortable with the wheat that they’re buying. That’s a great opportunity we have for our buyers to rub shoulders and learn and meet with farmers.”

A group of Taiwan millers were part of the Lind Field Day which made an impression with one miller commenting on how great it was see such a large group of people all sharing one goal.

The primary benefit for farmers is getting foreign countries to buy their wheat, but Squires says it’s so much more.

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“It also helps and benefits the growers to understand what the customer needs and what their concerns are. That translates back to the farmer realizing that [they] gotta produce something that gives them good yield, has good agronomic characteristics, but it also has a quality that the buyer wants to buy.”

If farmers are interested in taking part in one of these trade missions, they can contact the state grain commissions in Oregon, Washington or Idaho.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail krounce@cherrycreekradio.com.