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Volume 1 • Number 3 www.rediscoverwheat.org The official publication of
In This Issue :
1990 Kimball Avenue Manhattan, Kansas 66502 (785) 539-0255
KAWG MEMBERSHIP
EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR/DESIGNER
$100 per year
Marsha Boswell • mboswell@kswheat.com
Nicole Lane • laneinicole@gmail.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Julia Debes • juliadebes@gmail.com Jordan Hildebrand • jhildebrand@kswheat.com
CEO
KAWG OFFICERS
Justin Gilpin • jgilpin@kswheat.com
PRESIDENT Gary Millershaski • Lakin VICE PRESIDENT Michael Jordan • Beloit SECRETARY/TREASURER Kenneth Wood • Chapman IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT David Schemm • Sharon Springs
KWC OFFICERS
CHAIRMAN Scott Van Allen • Clearwater VICE CHAIRMAN Jay Armstrong • Muscotah SECRETARY/TREASURER Brian Linin • Goodland IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Ron Suppes • Dighton
Rediscover Wheat is published by the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers (KAWG) and the Kansas Wheat Commission (KWC), 1990 Kimball Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502, twelve times per year. Contents of this publication may not be reprinted without permission.
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Consumer Outreach Focuses on Baking & Social Media The Pro-Gluten Perspective Industry Announcements Not Gluten-Free but Celiac Safe Wheat Breeder Wins World Food Prize IGP Stakeholder News Brief Pumpkin Spice Muffins Share your Story and your Bread National Festival of Breads, A History News from the National Association of Wheat Growers News from U.S. Wheat Associates Maltby Market Analysis Upcoming Events
Consumer Outreach Focuses on Baking & Social Media I
n the age of information, consumers are more curious than ever before about their food. From the farm to the fork, gourmet cooks and young moms alike want to know everything. This presents a challenge for farmers, who may not be used to the younger generation's demands for instantaneous knowledge. But this newfound curiosity is also an opportunity for people in the agricultural community, especially for those involved in the wheat industry. Wheat foods have been intensely scrutinized over the last few years due to growing consumer interests in gluten-free and lowcarb products. While hungry patrons should have the pick of their choice in the marketplace, these fad diets are largely based on misinformation and fear. Kansas Wheat, a member of the national Wheat Foods Council, is aiming to counteract these fallacies with an expanded consumer outreach program. One of the most visible, and tasty, outreach programs that Kansas Wheat hosts is the National Festival of Breads, sponsored by King Arthur Flour and Red Star Yeast. This will be the fourth NFOB, and the biggest year to date. The festival, hosted in Manhattan on June 13, 2015, will combine a "good-ol'-fashioned bake-off" (between eight national finalists), with baking workshops, exhibits, door prizes, sampling
and much more. Entries for the competition are currently being accepted until January 16, 2015. The biennial competition receives hundreds of original bread recipes developed by amateur bakers from across the country. The top eight finalists are flown into Kansas to participate in the competition, as well as to tour a Kansas wheat farm at harvest time and a flour mill.
"This contest helps us bridge the gap between farmers and the end users of their crops, the bakers," said Cindy Falk, nutrition educator at Kansas Wheat and Chair of the National Festival of Breads baking contest. "The finalists who get the chance to tour the farm and flour mill are excited to go back to their home states and tell their friends about what they've learned!" Kansas Wheat has also been working to expand its social media presence for both consumers and producers. Followers will notice an increase in online content all over the web, from the National Festival of Breads Pinterest page to its websites. Some recent additions are food-blog style recipes (complete with photos) for followers to try, creation of wheat related infographics, important statewide weather forecasts and a more consistent posting schedule. Many of these recipes are tested in the Kansas Wheat test kitchen to ensure baking success. "Development of relatable and
reliable online content is critical for any commodity organization," said Jordan Hildebrand, program assistant at Kansas Wheat. "Consumers are looking to 'Dr. Google' for information on their food and diets, and anti-agriculture organizations are pros at using internet platforms. We need to be able to make this a twosided conversation, and starting it now is crucial." Be sure and follow Kansas Wheat on Twitter and Facebook at KansasWheat, and share photos of your operation, fabulous wheat-filled sunsets, the future generations of farmers or whatever you think represents our industry. "We would love to show them to curious consumers who might never get to see Kansas' famous amber waves of grain," said Hildebrand.
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The Pro-Gluten Perspective by Julia Debes
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utritionists and dieticians healthy diet experts, but even they may not know everything about every food. That’s why the Wheat Foods Council, an organization working to increase awareness of the value of dietary grains, provided a pro-gluten, prowheat perspective at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo in Atlanta, Georgia from October 18 to 21, 2014. Sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the expo featured 350 exhibitors. Booth 2419 was staffed by the Wheat Foods Council and three other wheat industry voices: Dr. Brett Carver, wheat genetics chair in agriculture at Oklahoma State University; Fran Churchill, North American Millers’ Association instructor of milling science and management at Kansas State University; and me – Julia Debes, Kansas wheat farmer. Truthfully, several companies touted gluten-free taglines. But, the steady stream of dieticians and nutritionists visiting the Wheat Foods Council booth were quick to share their love of wheat – and their dismissal of the gluten free fad diet. These professionals are trained to assist individuals with celiac disease or a true wheat allergy, but they believe grains play an important role in a healthy diet for the rest of us. At the booth, we asked everyone – from dietetic students to school district nutritionists to registered dieticians working for large companies – to take a quick 4
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survey on wheat and gluten. Five questions are listed below; how many can you answer?
True or False? 1. Wheat foods including enriched and whole grain products can be a part of a healthy diet for most people. True! Wheat foods, both enriched and whole wheat, are a good source of folic acid, fiber, iron, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. In fact, enriched grains are the top source of folic acid for women of child-bearing age. 2. Celiac disease, the inability to tolerate any amount of gluten, affects a relatively small percentage of the population. True! Celiac disease affects about 1 in 141 people, or about 3 million Americans. 3. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is not easily diagnosed by health professionals at this time. True! At this time, there is no test for non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Just 0.5 percent of people react to gluten, but do not have celiac disease or a wheat allergy. 4. Modern wheat varieties are causing increases in celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
False! No cultivated crop is the same as its wild relatives. Humans have been improving wheat varieties for thousands of years through natural selection, whereas the relationship between celiac disease and wheat was established in the late 1940s. 5. Wheat is a genetically modified organism (GMO), similar to corn, soybeans and cotton. False! Wheat breeding utilizes the natural variations in wheat and wild wheat relatives. There are no commercially available, genetically modified wheat varieties. However, genetically modified wheat would provide another tool for researchers to help farmers grow more and better wheat with less impact on the environment. For more information, check out the Wheat Food Council’s website at wheatfoods.org.
Industry Announcements
Agriculture Scholarship Application Available Each year the Colorado Conservation Tillage Association awards agriculture scholarships to outstanding youth who are majoring in agriculture, ag business, horticulture or agronomy who will make a difference in the industry. This year two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to college sophomores, juniors or seniors attending college in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska or Wyoming who are majoring in agriculture (equine science excluded). Students are assessed on awards and honors, college leadership and agriculture experiences as well as their leadership and
agriculture involvement outside of school. Applications are due by December 1st. The one page applications can be found on the website www. HighPlainsNoTill.com. Those selected to receive the scholarship will be recognized at the 27th annual High Plains No-Till Conference held in Burlington, Colo., February 3-4, 2015. Attendance at the conference is not required. For more information please contact Becky Ravenkamp, becky@highplainsnotill.com or 719-740-0715.
Monsanto Expands WestBred Wheat Operations to Meet Growing Global Demands In its commitment to dedicate increased resources to meet the growing demands of global wheat consumption, Monsanto Company recently announced several new additions to its WestBred® wheat team, including Chris Hansen as Central Regional Commercial Manager.
operations. Dennis Delaney has been hired as the Wheat Seed Supply Manager; Kaitlyn Nelson has joined as Marketing Communications Specialist; Randy Longest has assumed the role as Wheat Account Manager Lead; and John Fietsam has been named Wheat Technical Product Lead.
Hansen has an extensive background in agronomics, having worked for Fontanelle Hybrids and Cargill, in addition to spending several years on his family farm. Hansen grew up in Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in diversified agriculture, and minors in agronomy, range and forage sciences, ag leadership and communication. He operates out of Salina, Kansas, covering the states of Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and a portion of Wyoming.
“Our WestBred wheat team is growing, and we are attracting people with a diverse combination of experience, knowledge and talent,” said Jeff Koscelny, Monsanto U.S. Wheat Commercial Lead. “We are fortunate to attract this high caliber of professionals who can give wheat growers the opportunity to be more productive and more competitive in a global market.”
In addition to Hansen, Monsanto has hired several other agricultural professionals to support the WestBred wheat
Since acquiring the assets of Western Plant Breeders and WestBred® LLC in 2009, Monsanto has invested numerous resources into improving all aspects of its wheat business, including dedicating more personnel to wheat and applying
Cris Hansen, WestBred's newest Wheat Team member. multiple technologies from other agricultural systems to improve wheat productivity. About WestBred Wheat WestBred wheat provides seed suppliers and their growers access to the highest yield potential wheat seed, as well as testing, education, resources and experienced representatives to maximize that yield potential. WestBred and Design® and WestBred® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2014 Monsanto Company. Rediscover WHE AT | November 2014 5
Not Gluten-Free but Celiac Safe by Julia Debes
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hat would it take for celiacs to be able to have their wheat and eat it too? That is exactly what Dr. Chris Miller hopes to achieve in a research project funded by Kansas wheat farmers through the Kansas Wheat Commission. Miller, a biochemist working on cereal proteins, is laying the groundwork for creating a celiac-safe wheat - and one that could still make a great-tasting, good-looking loaf of bread.
Step One: Identifying Reactivity Miller will first identify the level of celiac disease reactivity in 300 different cultivars in four different categories: currently planted Kansas wheat varieties, historically popular wheat varieties, new experimental wheat lines and wild wheat relatives. Miller will literally put these samples to the test relying on the reaction between human antibodies and wheat proteins. Antibodies are the defenders of the human body, each developed to remove a specific "threat." For people with celiac disease, a portion of their antibodies have identified gluten as something that may cause harm to the body. When they consume gluten, antibodies defend, which causes damage to the small intestine. Every celiac sufferer's sensitivity to gluten is a little different, which is why some just get an upset stomach and others end up in the hospital after consuming gluten. This means there is not one antibody that reacts to one protein. Instead, an array of human antibodies and their variations react to potentially hundreds of different wheat proteins - or even just fragments of proteins. To match wheat proteins with the custom-made human antibodies with which they react, Miller will use a process called antibody staining. 6
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Very few people (1:141 or less than 1%) have a condition called celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction to the gliadin and glutenin portions of wheat.
Miller will take all of the individual proteins from one wheat variety and stick them in a gel - like pieces of fruit in Grandma's prize Jell-O salad. The human antibodies are then washed with a colored stain and then mixed into the gel. If the human antibody finds its wheat protein target - they stick together and show up as a colored band. Proteins without an attached antibody remain invisible, and unmatched antibodies simply wash away. The more dense the color, the more antibodies that reacted, or the higher level of reactivity for that specific wheat variety to human celiac disease. With this information, Miller can rank each cultivar for its level of reaction. Wheat breeders can use Miller's rack-and-stack to screen new and upcoming varieties for lower naturally occurring levels of reaction for human celiac disease.
Step Two: Down to the DNA Immunoprecipitation is a process where a single antibody is adhered to the surface of a microscopic magnetic bead. The miniature magnets are then fixed to a surface - like hundreds of super tiny magnets stuck to a fridge. Each person's immune system has different antibodies, however, so Miller mustidentify any wheat protein fragment that could potentially react to any one person's antibodies and create a celiac reaction. To find the exact epitopes, or protein fragments, that react to human celiac disease antibodies, Miller will use a process called immunoprecipitation. In this
process, a single antibody is adhered to the surface of a microscopic magnetic bead. The miniature magnets are then fixed to a surface - like hundreds of super tiny magnets stuck to a fridge. Then, the proteins from a single wheat sample are washed over the surface. The reactive proteins stick; the others simply wash away. From there, Miller can isolate and sequence the reactive cereal proteins. These sequences provide targets to sequence the specific genes that cause a human celiac disease reaction.
Results Benefit More Than Farmers Very few people (1:141 or less than 1%) have a condition called celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction to the gliadin and glutenin portions of
wheat. At the end, Miller will have created the most comprehensive study of wheat proteins related to celiac disease ever published. Kansas wheat farmers are the only group supporting research into identifying the exact DNA that causes a celiac reaction as well as the levels of reactivity in wheat varieties. The results, however, would be life-changing for the three million Americans with celiac disease. As Miller said, "This is a huge contribution to science - not just to Kansas, but to all of human health." Read more at kansaswheat.org.
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Wheat Breeder Wins World Food Prize by Julia Debes
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ne hundred years ago, Dr. Norman Borlaug was born. His semi-dwarf, diseaseresistant wheat spurred the Green Revolution and saved more than a billion lives from starvation. It is fitting that the 2014 World Food Prize, which Borlaug created, will be awarded on October 16 to a wheat researcher for the first time. And Dr. Sanjaya Rajaram is not just any wheat breeder - he was Borlaug's successor. Rajaram amplified Borlaug's legacy of innovation at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico. His 480 wheat varieties have been released in 51 countries on six continents, planted on more than 140 million acres, increased yield potential by 20 to 25 percent and resulted in 200 million more tons of grain delivered to global markets each year. Rajaram's childhood on a small farm in Uttar Pradesh, a state in northeastern India, inspirited him with the desire to improve world food production. His parents enabled his education by sending him to primary and secondary school in a village five kilometers (3.1 miles) away at a time when roughly 96 percent of rural India had no formal education. Rajaram repeatedly earned top honors and scholarships as well as a bachelor's degree in agriculture from the University of Gorakhpur and a master's degree in genetics and plant breeding from the Indian Agricultural Research 8
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Institute. But, his doctorate mentor would introduce Rajaram to Borlaug. At the University of Sydney, Rajaram earned his doctorate degree in plant breeding, studying under Dr. I.A. Watson. Watson referred his new student to his old classmate at the University of Minnesota, and Rajaram began his work at CIMMYT in 1969. Rajaram and Borlaug worked side-by-side in the fields of El Bat谩n, Toluca and Ciudad Obreg贸n. Just three years later, in 1972, Borlaug asked Rajaram to be his successor as the head of CIMMYT's wheat breeding program.
Rajaram extended Borlaug's great work. According to the World Food Prize website, Rajaram's focus was on "wide adaptation of new plants to differing climate and soil conditions; superior grain quality; and increasing the resistance to diseases and pests that had devastated farmers' crops." Rajaram utilized Borlaug's shuttle-breeding approach, under which two generations of wheat are produced each year by planting a crop in both the northern and southern hemisphere. This cut breeding times for new varieties in half. He also crossed winter and spring varieties, resulting in lines
that had higher, more reliable yields under a multitude of climatic conditions and geographic locations. Rajaram's new varieties could be grown in marginal areas, including small mountain plots in Pakistan, remote regions of China and acidic soils in Brazil. His concept of "slow rusting" incorporated multiple genes that each have minor effects on rust's development. Working together, the genes minimized the devastating disease's effect on wheat yields without causing the pathogen to mutate. In addition to his own work, Rajaram helped establish a worldwide exchange of information and resources between researchers, which did not exist in the global scientific wheat network. His work continues, although he now operates his own seed company, Resource Seeds International. Borlaug's own words in a 2007 letter described Rajaram's legacy best: "You have developed into the greatest present-day wheat scientist in the world...have made and continue to make many important contributions to further improve world wheat production... have learned to work effectively in many different countries with political leaders of different ideologies...and are a scientist of
great vision." Rajaram will officially receive the World Food Prize on October 16 during the Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa. World Food Prize Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Norman Borlaug established the World Food Prize in 1986. The Prize honors "those who have made significant and measurable contributions to improving the world's food supply." The
international award recognizes contributions from all around the world in a multitude of fields, from political leadership to nutrition to food and agricultural research. For more information, visit the official website at www.worldfoodprize. org.
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October 2014
STAKEHOLDER NEWS BRIEF Moving the Mission Harvest is in full swing in Kansas and so are the events and activities at the IGP Institute. This month, we hosted two on-site HACCP courses. The first course was conducted in partnership with NGFA-AFIA-KSU for 55 Lisa Moser participants. Following was the AIBI-KSU Grain Milling and HACCP workshop presented to 26 participants. Through our distance platform, we also conducted the AFIA 500 Fundamentals of Feed Manufacturing course. In the flour milling curriculum, we had our first participant complete the requirements for the KSU Milling Specialist credential. Congratulations to Brian Suphananonta, assistant chairman of Chiao Thai, Hsing Enterprise in Taipei, Taiwan, on this accomplishment. In addition, our curriculum managers have been traveling. Jay O’Neil was a featured speaker at the International Dry-bulk Terminal Group Conference in Panama as well as at the MNA Seminar in Monterrey, Mexico. Jay wrapped up the month presenting the USSECUSGC Risk Management Seminar in Vietnam. Carlos Campabadal also spent time in Guadalajara, Mexico, talking to participants in a Feed Production School.
Aside from the training activities, you might have noticed a new look to this newsletter as well as many of the IGP Institute materials. Pat Hackenberg, our educational media coordinator, has been busy working to give a consistent look to our information. He has established color and typography guidelines to create uniformity. We’ve also been conducting social media research with our course participants these last few month. Our senior intern, Kelly Hannigan, has led our efforts with this project. Kelly analyzed the results of five focus groups that involved 41 participants to assess how international audiences prefer to connect in digital communication. We learned valuable information in the study that we are using to guide us in our social media efforts moving forward. Along with that we continue our media relations work distributing pre- and post-course information to the trade press editors as well as promotional e-news blasts to our past course participants. Melissa Grimmel featured in this newsletter is the student tasked with assisting in these promotional activities. We hope you enjoy this news brief. Sincerely, Lisa Moser Marketing and Communications Specialist
In the Spotlight Melissa Grimmel • Native of Jarrettsville, Md. • Dual majoring in Agricultural Communications and Journalism and Animal Sciences and Industry
Trainings and Activities Courses and activities held in October. • NGFA-AFIA-KSU HACCP for the Feed Industry • AIBI-KSU Grain Milling and HACCP Workshop • AFIA 500 - Fundamentals of Feed Manufacturing
“I have loved the welcoming atmosphere IGP offers since day one. The faculty and staff have a lot of knowledge and passion for the industry, which drives me to learn more every day.”
1980 Kimball Avenue, 102 IGP Institute Conference Center | Manhattan, KS 66506–7000 | Tel. 785-532-4070 | Fax 785-532-6080 | www.grains.k-state.edu/igp | igp@ksu.edu
AIBI-KSU Grain Milling and HACCP Workshop participants tour the AIB baking lab facilities in Manhattan, Kan.
Matt Frederking, lead instructor of the HACCP for Feed Industry course, breaks down flow diagrams and product development.
Where in the World
Marketing the Brand
A monthly look at where we’ve been as we make our way around the globe promoting U.S. commodities and IGP Institute training opportunities. • Spoke at the International Dry-Bulk Terminal Group Conference in Panama.
by Lisa Moser, Marketing and Communications Coordinator • Distributed post course news releases sent on two HACCP trainings offered on-site in October and the USSEC Swine Nutrition Training.
• Spoke at the MNA seminar in Monterrey, Mexico. • Presented at the USSEC/USGC Risk Management seminars in Vietnam.
• Designed advertisement for World Grain promoting our joint credential with GEAPS in Grain Processing Management.
• Participated as a speaker at the Feed Production School in Guadalajara, Mexico.
• Created social media information sheet to be shared with course participants. • Developed IGP Institute Industry Fact Sheet for distribution.
Rave Reviews “The most valuable part of these courses is the actual interaction between the different industries and the diversity of the groups that are here.” Lucas Porter Feed Mill Supervisor at Bell Aquaculture, LLC NGFA-AFIA HACCP for Feed Industry course “This course has really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I’ve really learned a lot about HACCP and now I realize that there are a lot of things we are going to do when we go back home.” Jan Adams Quality Control and Quality Assurance Lab Manager NGFA-AFIA HACCP for Feed Industry course
• Created graphics for the IGP Institute phone charging station.
Welcome to the IGP Institute While you’re here, please accept our invitation to like or follow us on social media. Stay up-to-date with current IGP Institute events and enjoy and share photos from your course activities throughout the week.
www.facebook.com/ksuigp
twitter.com/KSU_IGP
internationalgrainsprogram.wordpress.com
Find a list of upcoming courses, news and events online at our website:
www.grains.k-state.edu/igp
The insert created for the IGP Institute to promote the available social media platforms.
Pumpkin Spice Muffins Ingredients
½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup white whole wheat flour 1 1/4 cups quick oats, dry ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup canned pumpkin 1/3 cup olive oil ¼ cup skim milk 1 large egg, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping: 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour ¼ cup quick oats, dry ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons unsalted sunflower seeds, chopped 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup butter, softened
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray with non-stick cooking spray a 12 cup muffin tin. 2. In large bowl, combine allpurpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add pumpkin, oil, milk, egg and vanilla extract, stirring just until moistened. Fill prepared tins ¾ full. 3. Combine topping ingredients; mix until crumbly. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over muffins. Bake 14-15 minutes or until done. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 12 muffins.
Nutrition
Note: Originally published in the 1999 Kansas Wheat Commission Recipe Book, this recipe was recently revamped by Kansas Wheat nutrition educator Cindy Falk who turned it into a healthy whole grain snack.
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One muffin provides approximately: 369 calories 9 g protein 52 g carbohydrates 6 g dietary fiber 14 g fat (3 g saturated) 26 mg cholesterol 12 mcg folate 3 mg iron 210 mg sodium.
Share Your Story and Your Bread T
he best recipes sometimes include a secret ingredient, one that cannot be listed in the instructions. When a piece of the baker’s heart is included in the mix, the bread is even more delicious.
1994 Champion Rose Wahl shared a holiday bread recipe from her homeland with her Czech Houska. She finished her bread with an egg yolk wash, brushing it with a feather brush she brought with her from Czechoslovakia.
Ever since the inaugural 1990 Kansas Festival of Breads encouraged contestants to “get back to their roots and their kitchens,” contestants have shared not only their fantastic bread recipes, but also their stories.
For others, bakers incorporated some of their favorite things into their recipes. Youth division artistic winter Stetson Honig honored the Kansas State University mascot with his Wildcat Swirl Bread, a white loaf with a purple swirl.
Sometimes, these recipes were passed down through the generations – a literal American melting pot. Take Patty Betts, who won the 1998 Kansas Festival of Breads with her Dampfnudlen (steam buns). After her grandparents lost their house during a bombing raid in Germany during World War II, they moved in with her greatgrandparents. With food scarce, the family used their imagination and their cooking skills to feed the family. Four generations later, this delicious and inexpensive meal was still one of her family’s favorites – and obviously one of the judges’ too!
And, the Grand Old Flag Bread, made by Maria Maus in 2002, showed off her patriotism with white and wheat dough stripes and stars. Some winning recipes just seem serendipitous. When Gale Collier spied an almost empty box of cereal of raisin bran on the kitchen counter, she mixed it into the granola breakfast rolls she was making. The resulting Quick Raisin Granola Breakfast Rolls became a family favorite – and won the 2011 National Festival of Breads.
Julia Kendall said her sisterin-law suggested she try a braid, telling her “anyone who could French braid her girls’ hair should be able to do a braided loaf.” Her perfectly shaped loaf earned her a spot as a finalist in the 1990 Kansas Festival of Breads. For Dorothy Johnson, bread was literally part of her love story…and her wedding vows. When she and her husband were planning to be married, he said, “I sure hope you bake bread." So, she started baking. Her Swedish Cardamom Wreath, the 1991 champion, was based on his recollection of his Swedish grandmother’s cardamom roll. No matter whether the recipe was a cultural tradition, inspired or just a happy happenstance, share your original bread recipes – and your stories – by entering the National Festival of Breads before January 16, 2015.
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National Festival of Breads, A History A history of the National Festival of Breads, America's only ameteaur baking contest that grew roots from a Kansas tradition.
Why Kansas? • Kansas produces more wheat than any other state, nearly one-fifth of all wheat grown in the United States, earning the title “Breadbasket of the World.” • Kansas ranks second nationally in the amount of wheat milled into flour. • Kansas farmers produce three wheat classes: Hard Red Winter, Hard White and Soft Red Winter. Russian Mennonite immigrants introduced Turkey Red Wheat to Kansas in 1874.
Kansas Festival of Breads • Established in 1990, the Kansas Festival of Breads was sponsored by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Wheathearts, a women's auxiliary group of the wheat growers.
• The Festival of Breads was designed to celebrate the art of baking, encourage the use of Kansas products and recognize the Kansas wheat and milling industries. The biennial contest encouraged Kansans to “get back to their roots and in their kitchens” and bake special recipes. • Originally, five regional contests were held, with the top finalists baking their winning bread recipes at the state competition, held on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan, Kansas. • More than 250 home baked breads were entered in the first contest. By 2009, the number grew to more than 500 entries. Contestants have all levels of experience, from youth who learned how to bake bread from their grandmother or mother, to a retired district judge and veterinarian. Later, entrants were categorized by age. • Categories have evolved over time to include bread machines, rolls and holiday breads. • A variety of prizes have been awarded, ranging from cash awards to KitchenAid mixers, food processors, bakeware and “Kansas Trademark” gift baskets.
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Left: Dallas Nelson with wife Evelyn, category champion in 2000.
• Eventually, in place of regional judging, more than 30 collection sites were strategically located to provide access to any Kansan who wanted to enter. Breads were collected and transported to Manhattan, where they were judged the following day. • April 3, 2006, was the last Kansas Festival of Breads. In June 2009, the first National Festival of Breads baking contest, sponsored by the Kansas Wheat Commission and King Arthur Flour, was held in Wichita. This was the first in what has become an every-other-year event that honors the best amateur bread bakers in America!
List of Champions • 2013 Champion – Onion Parmesan Cracker Bread Rosemary Leicht, Bethel, Ohio, won the grand prize with a time-saving recipe that literally allows friends and family to “break bread together.” Her recipe was inspired by a basket of bread that her son-in-law raved about at a Chicago restaurant. • 2011 Champion – Quick Raisin Granola Breakfast Rolls The winning recipe by Gale Collier, Redmond, Oregon, was a serendipitous happening. Spying an almost empty box of raisin bran cereal on the counter, Gale added it to the granola breakfast rolls she was making. The recipe was a family favorite ever since. • 2009 Champion – Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Filled Pane Bianco Dianna Wara, Washington, Illinois, won the first National Festival of Breads with her quick, on-the-run bread. She said her goal was to create visually stunning bread that makes one drool even before taking the first bite. • 2009 Senior Champion – Nutritious Whole Wheat Windsor Knot. Judy Burnette, Great Bend, earned senior champion with this loaf that scored high in nutrition with sprouted wheat berries, white whole wheat flour, wheat bran and oats. • 2004 Professional Champion – White Dinner Rolls The Kingman Elementary Middle School Kitchen, used their prize money for these tasty dinner rolls for new aprons and shirts. The staff
had extra hands-on experience, preparing up to 660 rolls for each meal because many of the students asked for two. • 2002 Senior Champion – Sheepherder’s Bread. Only six ingredients were used in Mary Glazier’s winning bread recipe from the Basque County in Nevada, which was baked in a Dutch Oven and made one large loaf. • 2002 Adult Champion – Povitica (po-vi-teetsa) Roberta Dent’s recipe originated in Poland and her mother made this bread as a Christmas tradition. Making a povitica takes practice as the dough is rolled paper-thin with a layer of cooked filling that includes finely ground pecans, milk, sugar and eggs rolled up inside. The loaf is twisted resembling a snail. • 2002 Champions – Multigrain Dinner Rolls and Wheat and Oats Bread. Jane Fry’s multigrain dinner rolls won first place in the dinner roll category and her wheat and oats bread took runner-up in the bread machine category. The latter is an old family recipe that she adapted to her bread machine, a device she initially resisted, but now would hate to live without. • 1998 Champion – Dampfnudeln (Steam Buns) Patty Betts brought history alive with this old German recipe from her great-grandmother. After Patty’s grandparents lost their house during a bombing raid in World War II, they moved in with her great-grandparents. With Rediscover WHE AT | November 2014 15
food scarce, the women had to use their imagination and cooking skills to feed the family. They helped the family survive and passed on a delicious and inexpensive meal that is still one of her family’s favorites four generations later. • 1996 Champions – Two-in-One Braid and Honey Date Stollen. Joyce Taylor from Enterprise was the first to win the top prize in more than one category, even she claimed wedding cakes were her specialty. The judges especially liked the stolen for its beautiful appearance. Her two-in-one bread was a simply, hearty loaf, but the judges said it was good enough to be a “company” bread. • 1994 Champion – Czech Houska, Czech immigrant Rose Wahl won with a holiday bread from her homeland, Vanocka or “Houska.” Rose finished her bread with an egg yolk wash, brushing it with a feather brush she brought with her from Czechoslovakia.
delicately flavored loaf. • 1990 Champion – Viola’s Wheat Bread. Kansas farm wife Viola Unruh from Montezuma won the first Celebrate Kansas Wheat Bake-Off with her traditional whole wheat bread loaf. She used this tried-and-true recipe for 35 years, saying her secret was the right amount of flour and plenty of practice. She and her recipe were featured in “The Bread Book” by Linda Collister and Anthony Blake.
Memorable Contestants • Bob Kirby, a 24-year automotive technician from Syracuse, was a finalist in 2004 with his Pearl Bread recipe using hard white wheat flour. In addition to bread baking, he enjoyed cooking over a campfire. • Steve Korthanke from Robinson was the first male champion in the Kansas Festival of Breads in 1994. His Buttermilk Whole Wheat Berry Bread won in the bread machine category. At the time, almost half of all bread machines were reported as used by men.
• 1991 Champion – Swedish Cardamom Wreath. Dorothy Johnson from Sterling developed her winning recipe based on her husband’s • Anita Allen, Burlington, placed as a finalist recollection of his Swedish grandmother’s twice in the youth category with her Italian cardamom roll. Johnson used the popular Parmesan Braid and Chive a-la Ring. technique of braiding • Youth Division Artistic Award winner Stetson three strips Honig from Hugoton honored the Kansas State of dough University mascot with his Wildcat Swirl Bread, and then a white loaf with a purple swirl. shaping • Two sisters won three categories in 1996. Joyce the braid Taylor from Enterprise won with her Honey into a ring. Date Stollen and Two-in-One Bread, while her Because sister Illa Beemer from Abilene won the bread the raisins machine category with her Everyday Yogurt have been Bread. soaked before • The Grand Old Flag Bread, made by Maria Maus being from Viola in 2002, showed off her patriotism beaten into with white and wheat dough stripes and stars. the dough, they break • A 16-year old 4-Her, Jason Smelser, won the up and 2004 youth category with his Italian Cheese lend their Bread, beating out 87 entries. sweetness and color to the Left: Rosemary Leicht, 2013 Champion. 16 Rediscover WHE AT | November 2014
News from :
NAWG Weekly Updates NAWG Staff Attends Meeting on Women Leaders in Agriculture NAWG staffer Brooke Shupe, Director of Government Affairs for Risk Management, attended a “Dialogue on Women Leaders in Agriculture” lead by USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden and the White House Rural Council. The meeting was a small, closed press event, where a number of women and men had open conversation on how to get more women involved in leadership roles within the agriculture industry. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, opened the discussion praising Harden for her efforts on this topic and voiced his full support of continuing the conversation. “It was inspiring to see so many successful women in agriculture in one room, working together, to find solutions to barriers that women face in the agriculture industry”, said Shupe, “I was thankful to be there and hopeful to be a part of the
conversation and solution moving forward.” Deputy Secretary Harden said this was the first of a number of dialogues she is planning for this group.
Full Steam Ahead: Largest Cellulosic Biorefinery Begins Production in Kansas In mid October, Abengoa Bioenergy officially opened the world’s largest cellulosic biorefinery in Hugoton, Kansas. This second-generation cellulosic ethanol plant, finished construction in mid-August and began producing cellulosic ethanol at the end of September with the capacity to produce up to 25 million gallons per year. The plant utilizes corn stover, wheat straw and switchgrass that do not compete with food or feed grain. The state-of-the-art facility also features an electricity cogeneration component, allowing it to operate as a self-sufficient renewable
energy producer. By utilizing residual biomass solids from the ethanol conversion process, the plant generates 21 megawatts (MW) of electricity. DuPont is expected to open an even larger plant in Iowa next year.
Wheat Meetings held in New Mexico The 2014 Fall Wheat Conference, joint meetings of NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates, was held at the end of October in Santa Anna, N.M. The session included a full compliment of committee meetings for both organizations, as well as joint committee meetings, a joint board session and general board meetings. The National Wheat Foundation also met in association with the NAWG and USW sessions.
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Los Angeles City Council Votes to Explore Ban on GMO Plants The Los Angeles City Council voted in mid October to move forward with a plan to ban on GMO plants within the city limits. This vote comes just two years after the voters of California rejected Proposition 37, which would have forced the labeling of GMO foods. Only a slim majority of Los Angeles voters, 52 percent, approved Proposition 37. The city ordinance, if fully drafted and passed, would be largely symbolic since it would apply to seeds and plants, not the final food products, and there is little agriculture inside Los Angeles. NAWG is confident that biotechnology will deliver significant consumer and producer benefits, and NAWG supports continued biotechnology research and market and product development.
Chinese GMO Policy Leads Farmers to Sue Syngenta Over Lost Profits Farmers from the largest corn producing states have become the most recent group to sue Syngenta AG for lost profits following China’s rejection of a new genetically modified corn seed. In coordinated lawsuits filed on Friday in federal courts in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, farmers accused Syngenta of being reckless when it launched U.S. sales of Agrisure Viptera corn seed in 2011 without obtaining import approval from China, a major buyer. The farmers,
who did not plant seed containing the unapproved trait, claimed they suffered losses because the price of U.S. corn dropped when China began rejecting boatloads of crops containing Viptera corn last year. Last month, agribusiness company Cargill Inc and another exporter separately sued Syngenta for selling Viptera corn seed before Beijing approved imports. The companies said they suffered combined damages of more than $131 million linked to China's rejections of U.S. crops containing the trait. Syngenta has yet to respond to the farmers’ claims.
NAWG Vice President Blankenship Calls for More Biotech Wheat Research In an op-ed to the Des Moines Register, NAWG first vice president Brett Blankenship issued a call to action to expand the current level of wheat biotech research to match that of similar staple crops. “While wheat maintains its lead as the most planted commodity crop worldwide, corn and rice have surpassed wheat in production (tonnage) in the last 20 years. Since 1994, corn yields have increased approximately 67 percent in the United States alone, while spring and winter wheat yields have increased half that amount, approximately 35 percent, in the same time frame. For the world’s largest crop that is a staple nutrient resource for 30 percent of the world’s population, the production lag is astounding.” He also mentioned the potential far-reaching repercussions that could result from a continued slowdown, saying, “A decline in
wheat production has obvious concerns down the food chain, too. Wheat farmers are not the only ones who will feel the effects of wheat getting pushed to marginal acres to make room for other crop commodities with greater investment returns. The milling, baking and food industries, for which wheat is an important ingredient, are well aware of the long-term implications of continued reduction in wheat production.” Invoking the name of the founder of the World Food Prize, held in Des Moines in mid October, Blankenship called on “wheat farmers, public researchers and private sector investors to strive to meet a 70-year-old dream that spans back to Norman Borlaug’s work in the wheat fields of Mexico: to solve production challenges through innovation and collaboration. In order to overcome this technological divide between wheat and other crops, it is critical to establish an international environment in which wheat innovation can thrive.”
Borlaug Dialogue 2014: How to Feed 9 Billion People The 2014 Borlaug Dialogue was held in Des Moines, Iowa in the beginning of October, and featured an insightful discussion concerning the future of wheat, biotechnology, and sought solutions to the problem of feeding 9 billion people, a quest that Dr. Borlaug described as the greatest challenge in human history. The World Food Prize for 2014 was presented to Dr. Sanjaya Rajaram, on Thurs., October 16, for his scientific research that led to
a prodigious increase in world wheat production – by more than 200 million tons – building upon the successes of the Green Revolution. His breakthrough breeding technologies have had a far-reaching and significant impact in providing more nutritious food around the globe and alleviating world hunger. He is the former colleague of the Prize’s founder Dr. Norman Borlaug, and worked closely with Dr. Borlaug throughout his career in genetics and agricultural science. As a winner of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Borlaug understood the value that a sustainable and flexible food supply played in ensuring peace for an increasingly populous world. Thanks to the work of Dr. Borlaug and his colleagues, wheat now accounts for 20 percent of the world’s caloric intake. To honor future agricultural visionaries and heroes, Dr. Borlaug created the World Food Prize, recognition that the work of feeding the whole world is never done.
National Wheat Foundation Launches Official Social Media Presence The National Wheat Foundation launched its official social media presence this week on Twitter and Facebook. Designed to appeal to both farmers and consumers, the NWF social media seeks to educate consumers about the nutritional benefits of wheat and to dispel common myths about wheat. Follow them on their Twitter and Facebook page under National Wheat Foundation.
News from : Fall Wheat Conference Anchors Busy Meeting Season
at this conference. In addition to the individual boards of directors meetings, there was a full schedule of committee meetings, including With the 2014 wheat crop in the joint committees on biotechnology bins and sowing of the 2015 winter and international trade. wheat crop well underway, the Consolidating the final 2014 grade U.S. wheat industry is embarking and functional data for all six U.S. on a busy schedule of meetings wheat classes was challenging this around the world. This is a chance year with a late harvest. Yet, as to review the experiences of they have for decades, USW and the immediate past to help the its partner organizations are now industry continue to improve and sharing the data at USW’s annual support its customers into the series of Crop Quality Seminars. future. These events will continue into November and USW has posted After a successful North Asia final data for soft red winter and Marketing Conference with hard red winter wheat at www. customers from Japan, Korea and uswheat.org/cropQuality, and will Taiwan the week of Oct. 13, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) President soon publish complete data for all six classes. Alan Tracy travelled to Brazil to speak at the Brazilian wheat industry (ABITRIGO) conference. There he suggested that wheat buyers should carefully monitor the world corn market as well as wheat to help weather volatile price swings. Tracy also reviewed how consumer-facing U.S. wheat organizations defend against the gluten-free phenomenon.
Alan Tracy will continue his international travels in November, first to speak at the Latin American Millers Association annual meeting in Dominican Republic. USW Vice President of Overseas Operations Vince Peterson will also speak at ALIM where 2014/15 Chairman Roy Motter, from Brawley, Calif., will represent U.S. wheat farmers. Tracy then will deliver what USW In mid October USW farmer considers an important speech directors and staff were in the at the IAOM Middle East and state of New Mexico for the Fall Africa Region Annual Meeting in Wheat Conference. The USW Cape Town, South Africa, in early and the National Association of December. He then continues Wheat Growers boards hold joint meetings twice each year, including to Saudi Arabia for a speaking engagement at the International 20
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Grains Forum. Annual domestic wheat farmer meetings start Nov. 13 when state wheat associations from Oregon, Washington and Idaho meet together. State wheat organizations continue to meet through early December and USW will send representatives to most of those meetings to report on the successes and challenges of the past calendar year.
Though Short, 2014 Hard Red Winter Crop Offers Excellent Performance The now complete 2014 USW Hard Red Winter quality survey details a crop with good wheat protein that translates into high flour protein content and very good functionality. Water absorption and loaf volumes are very good and exceed the five-year averages. This year's crop meets or exceeds typical HRW contract specifications and should provide a high value to customers. U.S. Wheat Associates posts all final crop quality reports on its website. Across the HRW production area, from Texas to Montana and into in the states of Idaho and Washington, moisture was the most influential quality factor for this crop. Soil moisture heading
into dormancy was generally adequate and the crop was in good condition by early spring. However, the rain virtually stopped until the crop was mature in areas from central Kansas south to Oklahoma and Texas. The drought conditions reduced yield and stressed the crop in those areas. Moving north, widespread rain that began in June initially was beneficial to yields and crop development. Rain continued, however, delaying harvest and reducing quality in some northern areas. Harvest began in Texas in late May and extended into early September in the northern states. Overall test weight averaged 60.7 lbs/bu (79.9 kg/hl), which is well above the 2013 average of 59.9 lbs/ bu (78.8 kg/hl) and equal to the five-year average of 60.8 lbs/bu (79.9 kg/hl). Kernel characteristics are similar to long-term averages, with significantly lower shrunken and broken kernels compared to last year and to the five-year average. Average wheat protein of 13.3 percent is similar to the 2013 average of 13.4 percent and almost one percentage point above the five-year average of 12.4 percent. The average falling number is 385, down somewhat from the five-year average of 410, but still indicative of a sound crop that is generally free of sprout damage. Flour protein averages 12.3 percent, which is 1.5 percentage points above the five-year average. The average Buhler lab mill extraction is 73.9 percent, well above the five-year average of 72.7 percent. Farinograph stability time is slightly lower than the fiveyear average of 12.6 minutes, and water absorption is two percentage points higher than last year’s 60.4
percent for high protein. Overall loaf volume averages 859 cc, which is comparable to last year’s average of 860 cc and exceeds the fiveyear average of 816 cc. Alveograph "W" value, water absorption, farinograph development and stability times, and loaf volume all suggest that the protein quality and quantity present in the 2014 HRW crop is excellent. USW will soon share final quality results for the 2014 U.S. hard red spring, white wheat and durum crops online as well as at its annual series of Crop Quality Seminars.
Wheat Food Production Information Expands on the World Wide Web Millers and food processors need more and more information about ingredient sources to serve customer interests. USW occasionally shares new resources for its customers and recently noted two new websites from coalition organizations trying to engage in the global conversations about technology and sustainability in food production. First is AgriBiotech.info, hosted by the University of California Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and compiled by a group of U.S. agricultural schools known as state or land grant colleges and universities. The site’s goal is to participate in the dialogue about the benefits and risks of this new technology, which is fast becoming a part of our everyday lives. As teaching, research and extension institutions, these organizations say they are convinced that some products developed through
biotechnology can provide benefits to our food system and the environment. Furthermore, they state they believe that the risks and benefits of any technology, including biotechnology, should be evaluated through research. The next site is new from the Sustainability Alliance at www.thesustainabilityalliance. us. U.S. agriculture, forestry and fishery export promotion groups are working jointly to boost awareness and engage in ongoing dialogue with European Union stakeholders. The alliance notes its partners are dedicated to developing and continuing sustainable practices and improving our operations through ongoing innovation and mindful approaches to conservation. The website provides information and background about how U.S. agriculture, forestry and fisheries grow, harvest and produce sustainably. In addition, in an outreach mission, representatives from the alliance met with stakeholders, government officials and media in London, UK, and Berlin, Germany, to present information about sustainable U.S. agricultural laws and practices. USW is currently monitoring the activities of the alliance.
TPP Represents Opportunity for Progress in Wheat Trade By Shannon Schlecht, USW Vice President of Policy High-level meetings associated with the 12-country TransPacific Partnership closed late October in Sydney, Australia. The negotiators Rediscover WHE AT | November 2014 21
announced "...significant progress on both component parts of the TPP Agreement.” That includes market access and trade and investment rules, which will “define, shape and integrate the TPP region once the agreement comes into force." As expected, no breakthrough occurred in the agriculture talks between Japan and the United States and significant challenges remain on agricultural and automobile trade that limit progress in other areas. Wheat consumption in Japan has grown over the past seven decades and is an important component of the Japanese diet. Japan produces about 10 to 15 percent of its annual needs and relies on imports to meet demand. U.S. wheat farmers take great pride in the fact that they produce and export about 50 percent of the wheat used in Japanese products every year and value the partnership with Japan’s wheat buyers, millers and food processors since the late 1940s. The quality requirements of Japan's wheat industry are among the most demanding in the world and U.S. wheat producers routinely meet or exceed them. That is why U.S. wheat producers stand ready to compete with other wheat suppliers and deliver the best value wheat in the world to Japan and the TPP member countries. We see TPP as a landmark agreement that will set a new framework for trade across the Pacific and Atlantic, and could be a catalyst for additional agreements. Because it is so important, USW continues 22
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to support completion of a comprehensive agreement that eventually eliminates tariffs on wheat trade with all TPP member countries. We believe a comprehensive TPP agreement is the best, long-term solution to achieve additional wheat and agricultural trade opportunities. "We will continue to build on the progress we made at this meeting and will meet again in the coming weeks," the ministers in Sydney said. There are several opportunities across Asia in November where talks can continue and there is hope for progress. That is good news, but U.S. wheat growers do not want to see diminished language in an agreement rushed out to meet artificial deadlines. The stakes are too high and the need too great to turn away from the original vision for TPP to truly be a forward looking, comprehensive agreement for the 21st Century.
Wheat Industry News Wheat Looks Good in Kansas, So Far. On Oct. 22, 2014, Kansas wheat commissioners reported that planting in most areas is nearly complete; the wheat is coming up and looks good. USDA reported late October that winter wheat planted was 78 percent complete in Kansas, which is behind last year and the five-year average of 84. Winter wheat emerged in the top wheat producing state was 58 percent, equal to last year and near the 56 percent average. Read more at www.kswheat.org. New Quality Standards for Europe. The Euronext futures exchange is introducing new
quality standards for its milling wheat futures. The new criteria will include a minimum test weight of 59 pounds per bushel, a minimum protein content of 11 percent, and a minimum falling number of 220 seconds. The move brings the Paris wheat futures in line with major French elevator companies. Falling Numbers. The analysis group SovEcon reported that Russian winter wheat is heading into dormancy in even worse condition than in 2010/11 when losses from cold weather and summer drought sent wheat production tumbling to about 42 MMT – and wheat prices skyrocketing. SovEcon’s report foresees a potential fall of some 15 to 20 percent possibly to less than 50 MMT. Research on Soft Durum Variety. The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) said it has developed a soft durum wheat variety with potential for use in a range of baked goods and pasta. Supervisory Research Chemist Dr. Craig Morris recently told participants at the AACCI annual meeting that his Pullman, WA, team produced a durum variety with a softer endosperm but with no functional changes in the semolina. He added that the scientists used non-transgenic methods to impart the genes for softness. This is a research variety with no current plans for commercialization. Read more at www.bakeryandsnacks.com/R-D/ USDA-ARS-develops-non-GMOsoft-durum-wheat.
USDA Surprises Wheat Market with Lower
Ending Stocks Forecast By Casey Chumrau, USW Market Analyst There will not be quite as much wheat left in the world at the end of marketing year 2014/15 as previously thought. This according to revised world agricultural supply and demand estimates (WASDE) released by USDA on Oct. 10. The bullish news trumped an increase in projected global production and the WASDE proved supportive to futures markets for the first time in months. Combined with a slight decrease in beginning stocks, a 4.1 million metric ton (MMT) increase in expected global consumption accounted for the lower ending stocks estimate. In what came as a surprise to many analysts, USDA decreased its projected ending stocks by 2 percent from the September estimate to 193 MMT. It was the surprise more than the number that helped push futures higher. If realized, ending stocks would still be 4 percent higher than last year and greater than the five-year average of 191 MMT. For months, expectations for record global production and record supply have weighed heavily on the market. USDA increased projected production to by 1.17 MMT to 721 MMT, which would exceed last year’s record crop of 715 MMT. Final harvest reports from the Northern Hemisphere showed higher than expected yields. Yet, an 870,000 metric ton decrease in estimated beginning stocks to 186 MMT helped offset the production increase and kept the bears away from the market.
The most significant change was a 4.1 MMT increase in expected global consumption. If realized, consumption of 713 MMT would be a 3 percent increase over the record 695 MMT set last year. This month’s increase included a 2.55 MMT increase in projected feed use of 140 MMT. Despite USDA’s expectation of record corn production and relatively low corn prices, wheat used for feed will be the second highest of all time, if realized. This is a reflection of the production struggles in every major wheat-producing country in the northern hemisphere this year, resulting in a higher percentage of low-quality wheat. France, the block’s largest wheat producer, had well-documented quality issues this year and a sharp reduction in the amount of milling quality wheat. The European Union uses more than twice the amount of wheat for feed than China, the world’s second largest wheat feeder. USDA believes the EU will increase wheat used for feed by 20 percent in 2014/15 to 57.5 MMT, well above the five-year average of 53.3 MMT. USDA also lowered expected U.S. ending stocks by 1.21 MMT to 17.8 MMT, despite a slight increase in production estimates. The pace of commercial sales has picked up in the last few weeks, prompting USDA to raise the export projection by 680,000 metric tons to 25.2 MMT. If realized, U.S. exports will still fall well below last year’s 32.0 MMT (when China and Brazil each imported more than 4 MMT of U.S. wheat) and the five-year average of 29.4 MMT. According to USDA, the higher export projection combined with higher domestic feed use will leave less
wheat in the bins at the end of the marketing year. USDA’s reduction in expected ending stocks both globally and in the United States helped push wheat futures higher in the days following the WASDE release. Considering futures had faced five consecutive weekly of losses in September and October and hit four-year lows, the markets quickly reacted to some bullish news.
Focus on Reliable Partnerships in a Volatile Market at North Asian Marketing Conference There is nothing simple about operating profitably in the wheat foods industry today. Consumer tastes are changing, supply shocks seem more frequent and trade policies are uncertain. To weather the storm, we all need more information, more insight. We all need reliable partners for a volatile market. That is why USW, several of its state wheat commission members and wheat farmers from across the United States welcomed an estimated 65 customers to the 2014 North Asia Marketing Conference in Honolulu, HI, Oct. 15 and 16. This conference provides a unique opportunity to gain new insight and build a stronger relationship with reliable U.S. wheat industry partners. USW selected the presentations specifically to help our honored customers in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The conference provides plenty of time to discuss this information and the challenges Rediscover WHE AT | November 2014 23
these customers face with their U.S. partners and with each other. Trade servicing is a critical part of the work USW does with its customers around the world. USW conducts much of its activities locally on staff visits with customers and through teams traveling to the United States. We also publish “Wheat Letter” and websites filled with useful information, conduct short courses locally and at U.S. educational partner organizations, share annual details on crop quality and, occasionally, bring customers together at conferences like this one.
U.S. Wheat Associates Promotes Ian Flagg to Regional Director USW promoted Ian Flagg to Regional Director for Middle East and North African countries. Flagg will supervise USW staff and direct strategic planning and export market development activities in 28 countries served by USW offices in Cairo, Egypt, and Casablanca, Morocco, where Flagg is based. "Ian has accumulated a great deal of experience in his time with USW in our domestic wheat market and in our overseas market development work,” said USW Vice President of Overseas Operations Vince Peterson. “I am highly confident in Ian's ability to lead our regional team's work in a large and very competitive wheat market." In 2009, Flagg accepted a position as Assistant Director for the Middle East, East and North Africa Region and relocated with his wife Serena to Cairo. Flagg 24
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also served as Market Analyst in the Arlington, VA, Headquarters Office and was Assistant Director of the West Coast Office in Portland, OR, where he was responsible for liaison work with the grain export trade and constituent state-level wheat commissions, hosting visiting foreign trade delegations, as well as servicing the needs of 16 overseas offices. Prior to joining USW in 2005, Flagg worked as a Research Assistant at North Dakota State University. Flagg holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Moorhead State University and a master’s degree in agribusiness and applied economics from North Dakota State University.
USW Expands Trade Policy Staff Elizabeth Westendorf will join U.S. Wheat Associates in a new Policy Specialist position on Oct. 20, 2014 to support USW’s efforts to work collaboratively with wheat farmers and international customers to create a fair and competitive trade environment. “From trade agreements to food aid to biotechnology, the global wheat market is increasingly complex and dependent on trade policy,” said USW President Alan Tracy. “USW is increasing our staff resources to capitalize on opportunities and address challenges to U.S. wheat export demand that are affected by international trade policies.” “Elizabeth’s experiences, domestic and abroad, as well as her focus on international economies fits well with USW’s
mission,” said USW Vice President of Policy Shannon Schlecht. “She will be a valuable addition to our organization and to our efforts to level the playing field for U.S. farmers in wheat markets around the world.” Westendorf graduated from Georgetown University’s Undergraduate School of Foreign Service in May 2014, earning a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service/International Political Economy. During her studies, she worked as summer intern at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, as a Wallace Carver Fellow with the USDA Economic Research Service and World Food Prize, and with the Georgetown Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative. She also studied abroad at the London School of Economics. Most recently, she worked at Winrock International on the Pasture Project, focusing on developing project evaluations and communications.
Maltby Market Analysis by Dan Maltby
Hello Kansas Wheat. If a feller just casually looked at these local prices, he’d undoubtedly note wheat prices didn’t change this week hardly at all. Whether or not he should be alarmed, though, is harder to determine…
Maybe the nickel pop in the high end of the posted Wichita basis is interesting…but can it To reach my offset Halloween’s spooky action? I admit I’m still a bit shaken. KC wheat’s Friday was plenty pricing target of scary: $6.40, a close above guarantee…dm $6.06 is needed. corn supply shock doesn’t exist A close below $5.90 would not be The supply shock will come. either. Or rice. Or beans. Charts friendly, and would probably lead and discussions follow, with to a test of the old lows around It might be happening in front of the goal of giving you useful $5.60. our eyes… this week, the IGC cut information to help you with your Australia’s wheat crop production When will we see the next estimate by a million tonnes as business. My disclaimer remains supply shock? Because that is the El Nino intensifies and last week the same: these are my sometimes sole missing ingredient in the food we wrote about Russia’s currently rapidly changing opinions; the recipe. poor winter wheat conditions, markets are quite treacherous; although surely spring rains It’s not just a wheat recipe. A and past performance is no will matter there, and over here Rediscover WHE AT | November 2014 25
too. This week we saw the first USA winter wheat conditions report, although looking at the data leads to the conclusion these early conditions are not very predictive of final yields‌ they currently look pretty good (see right)
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But, who knows? Supply shocks appear, with major price implications, or otherwise this continuous weekly wheat chart wouldn’t move:
And of course, corn supply shocks appear as well…I doubt we have a drought in the USA Corn Belt this summer, and no one that I’m aware of expects one either. But that’s what really moves this corn chart:
How long can a USA farmer survive when market prices don’t offer a positive rate of return above production costs? Conventional business theory says if revenue covers variable costs, the business should stay in business, at least in the short-run… The local cash wheat bids shown on page 1 show the average wheat bid price in Kansas is $5.60. I calculate that at about 90% of total costs, but a prominent Ag Economist stated this week that variable wheat costs are about $4.50. Thus wheat production would continue as it covers variable costs, and
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Corn acres have indeed decreased recently, so a further reduction could be on the way.
We’ll get the first official look at winter wheat plantings in January, but next spring is a long ways off to get a better on handle on corn acreage. In the meantime, we will point out that Dec 15 corn futures, shown here, are above $4.00…I added a blue line at $4.23, which is an area I expect significant overhead resistance, and thus in light of the $3.50 variable cost comment, seems to suggest is a good pricing area for some of the corn crop you will be planting this spring.
I read that some services are suggesting pricing part of the 2015/16 corn crop…personally, the long term corn chart on page 3 makes me think that can wait. When we do get the next supply shock, it will be violent.
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Let’s finish up with a look at the weekly futures table…
Friday’s action was the end-of-the-month, and I suspect KC futures were the short-end of fund activity. I am still long 40% of this year’s wheat crop, and while said on page 1 Friday’s action was scary, I do feel it was semi“jacked with…”, and thus will sit another week. I do have a pricing target in place, in case wheat can resume the rally. Last week I wondered out loud if a gap up around $4.12 on this Dec corn chart could actually get filled, and some of the Fibonacci lines on this Dec14 corn chart suggest it’s not impossible, as that gap would be filled on about a 50% correction.
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Here is what’s weird about corn…go back and look at the futures table, and we see that Friday’s corn close of $3.77 MATCHED the close of 8/15/14…That means that corn is on the verge of kicking off some 55-day buystops (11 week closing buy-stops), and while that is a little hard to believe, it should not be ignored… Surely major short positions are wondering what the heck is going on. And while I am not sure corn can close higher this week, IF it does, then that could lead to what pops prices higher to close that gap, and would also suggest it might be a spot to be ready to price some of the Corn Mountain. The Corn Mountain is indeed coming.
A friend in South Dakota posted this pic from his own farm. I’m pretty sure Disney will soon be doing a remake…”Return to Corn Mountain”…which if you have the time, leads to this YouTube video of a live cut of a German orchestra doing Edvard Grieg’s “In The Hall of The Mountain King” from his Peer Gynt suite. I think it’s worth a listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRpzxKsSEZg Be careful in those corn piles. See ya Maltby Market Analysis is provided weekly to members of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers via email. To become a KAWG member and subscribe, please contact Dalton Henry at dhenry@ kswheat.com. 30
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Upcoming Events NOVEMBER 2014 • IAOM Latin America District annual technical conference, November 7-8, Dominican Republic • Wheat Innovation Alliance Wheat Forum, St. Louis, Nov. 7-8 • ALIM, Macao, Purita Cana, Dominican Republic, November 9-12 • Governor’s Water Conference, Manhattan, November 12-13 • Wheat Industry Leaders of Tomorrow, November 15-20, St. Louis, Missouri • National Science Foundation Industry & University Cooperative Research Program (I/UCRC) meeting, November 18-19, Fort Collins, Colorado
DECEMBER 2014 • IAOM annual Mideast and Africa conference and expo, December 3-6, Cape Town, South Africa JANUARY 2014 • IGP–KSU Grain Elevator Managers Course– January 5–9 • IGP–KSU Introduction to Flour Milling Course – January 12–16 • NAWG/USW D.C. Meeting – January 27-31, Washington D.C