Drought is expected to send global wheat stockpiles for major exporters to the lowest levels in more than a decade, a Reuters analysis shows, a decline coming as top supplier Russia intensifies its conflict with Ukraine and creates more uncertainty for importers. Farms in areas of North and South America, Europe and Australia are facing crop losses as extreme weather spreads over an unusually wide geographic area, making food production increasingly vulnerable.

Concerns mount over global food security and higher food prices after Russian air strikes this week destroyed key Ukrainian grain warehouses and a wheat exports port on the Danube River. With the Black Sea grain export corridor closed since July 17, market suppliers had prepared to ship from Izmail and Reni ports on the Danube, but the attack brought plans to a standstill. The consequences of this attack could be severe, potentially crippling sea-based exports from Ukraine.

Join NAWG’s advocacy campaign to engage with legislators on increasing Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) programs authorized in the Farm Bill. MAP’s authorized funding has not changed since 2006 and FMD funding has remained the same since 2002. Inflation and sequestration have significantly eroded our ability to compete with other countries who are steadily investing more in their agricultural export promotion efforts. Please visit NAWG’s website to participate in the grassroots efforts to make your voice heard.

USDA’s Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation wants to give reference prices a boost in the next farm bill. During a forum on the farm bill and ag policy issues at Minnesota Farmfest Tuesday, Undersecretary Robert Bonnie said reference prices in the Commodity Title of the farm bill have not kept up with the current ag economy. “I think we all agree that we need to invest more in agriculture, whether it’s on the Title I side, research side, all those things. The challenge going into the farm bill is how do we pay for it.”

The Idaho Wheat Commission (IWC) takes a wheat variety survey twice a year, spring and winter, to gather data on variety usage. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. Your responses are anonymous and aggregated across multi-county reporting districts.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Aug. 1 that farmers are well-represented in the mediation taking place on the lower Snake River dams. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Aug. 1 that farmers are well-represented in the mediation taking place on the lower Snake River dams. “There’s an inter-agency process in which the Department of Agriculture is making sure that folks who are making decisions which could impact agriculture are taking agriculture’s interests and concerns under consideration,” Vilsack said.

Customers of U.S. wheat and the U.S. wheat industry gathered in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for the 2023 U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Latin American and Caribbean Wheat Buyers' Conference. Organized and presented by four USW offices, it is the first buyers' conference held in the region since 2018. Some scenes from the first day of the conference (August 2) can be seen in this short video.