U.S. Wheat Restructuring Efforts Close Moscow Office

As part of restructuring overseas offices, U.S. Wheat Associates will close its office in Moscow, Russia, at the end of this month.  The organization says the reorganization reflects an effort to refocus resources toward markets with the best potential to grow U.S. wheat exports and returns for the farmers the organization represents.  Based in part on the significant increase in low-priced Russian wheat exports, U.S. Wheat closed an office in Cairo, Egypt, in December 2017, that eliminated four staff positions.

The Moscow office closing will eliminate the position of Office Director and Marketing Specialist.  U.S. Wheat President Vince Peterson says the move reflects a change in Russia’s agriculture.  The office opened in 1992, and Russian imports of U.S. wheat averaged close to 400,000 metric tons for the next ten years. However, since then, Russia's agriculture has changed to be more market-oriented, with an increase in domestic wheat production.

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