USW Brings Customers and Breeders Together

The true value of U.S. wheat comes from a unique combination of price, quality and service—and quality is one of the most important benefits. That is why USW organized a Wheat Quality Improvement (WQI) Team of U.S. wheat breeders and quality specialists to meet with wheat buyers and technical managers in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico this year. The WQI Team gathers input on wheat quality from key customers, such as what they specifically like and dislike about each market class, and pass that information on to the U.S. wheat research and extension education communities. The results ultimately show up in university-recommended wheat varieties—and in overseas demand.

Team participants noted a marked improvement in how customers rated U.S. wheat quality compared to previous WQI Team visits. They attributed this change to their efforts to improve quality, but also to USW technical service educating millers about the wheat, how to buy it, and how best to mill it for maximum performance.