Wheat Marketing Center

This week the Wheat Marketing Center welcomes a group from South Korea for a week-long Bakery Product Development Short Course!

Throughout the course, participants will conduct hands-on flour and end-product testing focused on a variety of bakery applications, including pan breads, croissants, whole wheat breads, and sweet buns.

This workshop is designed to provide practical insight into wheat functionality, dough performance, and product quality while exploring how different flour characteristics influence finished bakery products.

In addition to lab and bakery sessions, the group will tour a wheat farm, commercial bakeries, and a market survey of Portland grocery stores to observe bakery trends, product offerings, and consumer preferences

These collaborative programs help strengthen international partnerships while showcasing the quality, versatility, and value of U.S. wheat from farm to finished product. Thank you to US Wheat Associates for coordinating these important international workshops!

The next generation of agricultural leaders got a firsthand look at the global wheat supply chain.

Last week, the Wheat Marketing Center hosted students from the University of Idaho AgBiz Summer Fellow Program for an immersive, weeklong export tour across the Pacific Northwest. From grain terminals and tugboats to baking labs and export markets, students experienced the journey of wheat from farm to global customers.

This marks year two of a five-year USDA-supported partnership in building a stronger future for U.S. wheat through education, innovation, and collaboration.

Read more about the tour and its impact:

University of Idaho Ag Economics Program Tour - Wheat Marketing Center UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS PROGRAM STUDENTS VISITED PORTLAND FOR IMMERSIVE WHEAT EXPORT TOUR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHEAT MARKETING CENTER  Second year of a five-year USDA-funded collaboration brings students from […]

This week the Wheat Marketing Center hosts an End Products Collaborative workshop with a USW sponsored team of millers and bakers from China.

During the week-long workshop, participants evaluate a variety of wheat classes and blends through hands-on end-product testing designed to showcase performance, functionality, and quality characteristics across multiple products and applicatins such as ciabatta, bagels, and sponge cakes.

These workshops provide valuable opportunities for technical collaboration, education, and knowledge exchange while helping customers better understand how to match the different U.S. wheat classes for the best product results.

We’re proud to partner with US Wheat Associates on these workshops in support of international partnerships while demonstrating the versatility and value of U.S. wheat through practical, product-focused learning experiences.

Wheat Marketing Center was proud to host the University of Idaho Agricultural Economics Program last week in Portland!

In its second year, this multi-year, USDA-grant collaboration between the University of Idaho and the Wheat Marketing Center brought students from universities nationwide on a week-long learning experience about wheat markets and the supply chain. They learned about the U.S. wheat industry, grain markets, export systems, wheat quality, and end-product functionality through presentations, facility tours, and hands-on learning experiences.

Programs like this help connect classroom education with real-world industry experience while giving future agricultural leaders a broader understanding of the global wheat supply chain, the ways that US wheat is used around the world, and the important role U.S. wheat plays in food systems around the world.

This week we prep for what's ahead this month!

June is shaping up to be a busy and exciting month at the Wheat Marketing Center. This week our lab and administrative team is preparing to welcome industry professionals, educators, and students from around the world for a full schedule of education and collaboration opportunities starting this week, including:

✔️ A university agricultural economics program hosted by our partners at the University of Idaho

✔️ Two end-product short course weeks — one featuring participants from China and another with a team from South Korea

✔️ A visit from Montana FFA students and faculty for tours and presentations

We’re proud to support hands-on learning, international partnerships, and the next generation of agricultural leaders. Here’s to a productive month ahead!

To learn more about Wheat Marketing Center, visit wmcinc.org

Innovations like purple wheat highlight why crop quality research and end-use testing matter. As new wheat varieties emerge with unique nutritional, milling, and baking characteristics, Wheat Marketing Center is grateful to be a partner with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and Dr. Brett Carver in their development.

New OSU purple wheat variety creates excitement across industry Researchers, farmers and millers alike are fascinated by OSU-P92, Oklahoma State University's new purple wheat variety that offers special health benefits.

We are honored to have The Shenzhen Agriculture & Food Investment Delegation from China and the Japanese Flour Millers Association Executive Team visit WMC this week to discuss the work we do to advance the quality of U.S. wheat for global buyers. WMC is one important stop on their tour hosted by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW). We value our partnership with USW and their ongoing work to demonstrate the commitment that goes into supplying high-quality U.S. wheat for customers around the world.

Earlier this week Wheat Marketing Center hosted its 2026 annual spring board meeting. The WMC board and affiliates held their annual elections and discussed next year’s forecast. During the meeting, the Oregon Wheat Growers League presented our Technical Director, Dr. Jayne Bock, with a 2025 Oregon Wheat Award for her contributions to the Oregon wheat industry. The WMC board meets in person twice annually to review the work of the board committees and discuss ongoing strategy.

Earlier this month we hosted a second group of Montana growers for a Wheat Export and Marketing Workshop, sponsored by the Montana Wheat & Barley Commission, giving farmers a ground-level look at everything involved in getting their wheat to market. From lab testing and baking demonstrations to tours and industry presentations, participants saw firsthand what U.S. wheat quality means to customers around the world. A huge thank you to our partners who made these Montana workshops possible: US Wheat Associates, USDA Federal Grain Inspection Service, OMIC Laboratories, Marsee Bakery, Grain Craft, United Grain Corporation, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, and Columbia Grain.

This week WMC Technical Director, Dr. Jayne Bock, attended the Eastern Soft Red Winter Wheat Quality Council Meeting which featured technical boards, milling/baking results, and industry collaboration and discussion of test results for Soft Red Wheat Quality, including flour yield, protein content, and baking performance. These meetings often focus on variety evaluation and improving soft red wheat quality for producers and processors.