Crop Quality Report an Important Tool For Marketing U.S. Wheat

Each year, wheat crop quality reports for all 6 wheat classes are placed into the hands of foreign buyers. The quality reports layout the functional quality of U.S. wheat and flour. While most wheat farmers understand quality items such as protein and test weight, buyers are also looking for additional information such as farinogram stability and loaf volume. Each variety grown in the U.S. has its own unique properties, and the quality report highlights those traits. The world wheat market is competitive, and the quality reports emphasize the value of the quality of U.S. wheat. In face to face meetings around the world, these reports are distributed, and buyers meet with representatives from U.S. Wheat Associates to learn more about the US wheat crop.

The charts below and on page 29 are just an example of some data included in the wheat quality reports. The U.S. does export over half of the wheat it produces, so keeping buyers educated is an important part of maintaining wheat’s value. Some of the sponsors of the report include the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council, North Dakota Wheat Commission, Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, South Dakota Wheat Commission, U.S. Wheat Associates and North Dakota State University Plant Sciences Department.

1 ND=North Dakota State University (Public), SD=South Dakota State University (Public), MN=University of Minnesota (Public), MT=Montana State University (Public), AgriPro (Private), WPB=Westbred (Private)2 Reaction to Disease: resistant (R), moderately resistant (MR), intermediate (M), moderately susceptible (MS), susceptible (S), very susceptible (VS). *Indicates yield and/or quality have often been higher than would be expectedbased on visual head blight symptoms alone.

3 2008 North Dakota average yield data from Prosper, Carrington, Cassleton and Langdon locations in North Dakota.4 2008 North Dakota average yield data from Williston, Dickinson and Hettinger locations in North Dakota.5 Source: NDSU Plant Science Department, Hard Red Spring Wheat Quality Laboratory, multi-year analysis of field plot trials in multiple locations across North Dakota.6 Willison and Dickinson, ND only.

7 Traditional Strong—functionality characteristic of hard red spring wheat; relatively quick mixing time, long mixing stability and tolerance to over-mixing.

Extra Strong—stronger than traditional hard red spring wheat varieties; longer mixing time and very long mixing stability.

Mellow—weaker than “traditional strong” varieties; shorter mixing time and stability.

8 Mill and bake quality rating based on protein content, milling performance, flour attributes, dough characteristics and baking performance.

Five stars = superior, four stars = excellent, three stars = good, two stars = average, one star = poor. Based on limited testing for end-use score.

Source: NDSU Plant Science Department, Hard Red Spring Wheat Quality Laboratory, average of 2006-2007 field plot trials at six locations.