Regional grain industry experts say several factors are aligning to make wheat an increasingly attractive option for Idaho farmers to plant this spring. Spring barley is also looking good to the state's farmers. Russia and Ukraine are often described as the "breadbasket of Europe," accounting for more than a quarter of the world's wheat. Even before the invasion, wheat prices were climbing due to a short 2021 crop and global demand that continues to set records every year, explained Casey Chumrau, executive director of the Idaho Wheat Commission. Wheat futures have been volatile but are still up more than 50 percent since the start of the year. Furthermore, the combination of major gains in crop production costs and water scarcity following a dry winter could lead farmers to choose wheat, which requires less water, fertilizer and other inputs than some other rotation options, Chumrau said.