IDAHO WHEAT COMMISSION

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U.S. Wheat Associates CEO: Market Volatility ‘Here to Stay’

Mike Spier, the new president and CEO of U.S. Wheat Associates, says global demand for high-quality wheat continues to rise, outpacing production at times over the past decade. While international competition has grown, particularly from the Black Sea and Australia, Spier believes U.S. wheat stands out for its quality. He acknowledges ongoing market volatility driven by geopolitics and economic shifts but says U.S. Wheat helps overseas buyers manage risk through timely, transparent information. Despite low wheat prices and rising input costs challenging U.S. farmers, demand from millers for consistent, high-performance wheat provides opportunity.

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August 19, 2025
Coming Together for Camp Rainbow Gold
Camp Rainbow Gold, a nonprofit supporting Idaho children with cancer and their families, has grown from a summer camp into a year-round program with a permanent home in Fairfield, Idaho called Hidden Paradise. As the site develops, it still lacks a kitchen and dining hall—an essential space for shared meals and connection. Idaho’s agriculture community is rallying to help build this vital piece. Join Idaho Wheat and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture on August 9 for a special evening of community, generosity, and purpose as we work together to make this dream a reality.
August 19, 2025
Less Rain, More Wheat: How Australian Farmers Defied Climate Doom
Australia, the driest inhabited continent. Despite this, the Land Down Under is one of the world’s top wheat exporters, and some of their practices gaining momentum in the United States and Canada. Farmers and researchers in Australia have spent more than four decades working together to increase yields by benchmarking water-use efficiency, implementing no-till methods, re-engineering soils, and introducing innovations in seed technology. These practices have turned poor agricultural land into profits.
August 19, 2025
U.S. Wheat Associates CEO: Market Volatility ‘Here to Stay’
Mike Spier, the new president and CEO of U.S. Wheat Associates, says global demand for high-quality wheat continues to rise, outpacing production at times over the past decade. While international competition has grown, particularly from the Black Sea and Australia, Spier believes U.S. wheat stands out for its quality. He acknowledges ongoing market volatility driven by geopolitics and economic shifts but says U.S. Wheat helps overseas buyers manage risk through timely, transparent information. Despite low wheat prices and rising input costs challenging U.S. farmers, demand from millers for consistent, high-performance wheat provides opportunity.
August 19, 2025
Successful Food for Progress Project Leads to Purchase of U.S. Wheat in Colombia
Four bulk carriers full of U.S. wheat landed in Colombia this summer, the first commercial sales traced directly to a monetization project under the Food for Progress supported by U.S. wheat farmers. The Food for Progress monetization program enabled U.S. Wheat Associates overseas staff to demonstrate the quality and versatility of U.S. wheat. This access to hands-on education resulted in commercial purchases of U.S. wheat by Colombian buyers. Colombia has the second-largest population in South America, where there has been a historical preference for Canadian Western Red Spring over U.S. classes. Programs like Food for Progress and the expertise and relationships buyers, millers, and bakers have with U.S. Wheat staff have created a demand for U.S. wheat
August 19, 2025
Ecuadorian Wheat Buyers Get Firsthand Look at U.S. Wheat in Idaho
A team of four wheat buyers from Ecuador visited Idaho in July with Miguel Galdos, U.S. Wheat regional director for South America. The team visited Wayne Hurst’s farm in Burley and Clark Hamilton’s farm in Ririe during their two-day visit in the Gem State. The trade team was funded by USDA’s Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) and Idaho wheat-growing families. Ecuador’s demand for wheat is projected to reach 73.5 million bushels this calendar year, up from 22 million bushels a decade ago. Ecuador imports soft white, hard red winter, and soft red winter wheat classes.