NWB Hosts South American Trade Team Visit

LINCOLN, NE – The Nebraska Wheat Board (NWB) hosted a South American trade team June 11-13 to give participants an opportunity to learn about Nebraska’s wheat industry.

The NWB invests check-off dollars in international market development efforts such as this visit. Trade team visits can ensure Nebraska wheat is not only known but stands out in the global marketplace. Inviting trade teams builds personal connections, offers a transparent look into Nebraska’s wheat supply chain, and leaves an impression on buyers who make purchasing decisions for millions of consumers.

Royce Schaneman, Executive Director of the Nebraska Wheat Board stated, “One of the best investments we can make is bringing our customers to Nebraska. When they can walk our fields, tour our facilities, meet our producers, and see our commitment to quality firsthand, it builds a level of trust and confidence that’s hard to achieve any other way. Those visits strengthen relationships, open doors to new opportunities, and ultimately help create long-term value and stronger markets for Nebraska wheat.”

The team consisted of five Chilean milling management personnel; Maria Ines Velerade, Commercial and Technical Manager at Molino La Estampa; Andres Mendes, General Manager at Molino Linderos, and Cecilia Ulloa, Purchasing Manager at Heredia Molinos. They were also accompanied by Macarena Uribe, Global Manager at Molino Aconcagua and Andres Saturno, Technical Manager at U.S Wheat.

The team started their tour at the Lincoln Inspection Service accompanied by the organization’s president, Aaron Klein. During the visit, the team observed how the staff officially samples and grades wheat to ensure quality standards.

To learn about wheat research, the team met with Assistant Professor Dr. Katherine Frels, who provided an overview of the Small Grain’s Breeding Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Frels offered the team a tour of one of UNL’s wheat breeding plots, outlining the process of developing and releasing new wheat varieties and the steps required before they reach end-use customers such as themselves.

The team also toured Rotella’s Italian Bakery in Omaha, NE, one of the largest commercial specialty bakeries. The visit offered a behind-the-scenes look at the bakery’s production process and how wheat is transformed into finished bread products.

Murkle Farms in Clatonia, NE served as the final stop on the tour. NWB member and farm owner, Monte Murkle, showed the team around his operation offering them an insight into wheat production in Nebraska. The day concluded with a cookout hosted by Murkle.

“Having international trade teams come visit our farms is very beneficial to U.S. growers,” said Murkle. “The team asked lots of questions. Not just about the wheat we raise but about corn and soybeans too. They were interested in learning about my family and our community.”

He also emphasized the importance of having visits from international trade teams like this one. “I think it’s important to share our story with our international customers because it allows them to see what we do and how we do it. When they get to see firsthand why we do things the way we do, I believe it shows the sustainability the US farmers have in feeding the world.”

Each of these stops are meant to provide multiple points of access to Nebraska’s wheat industry, whether it be a research perspective at UNL or a local producer’s perspective at Murkle Farms. These experiences showcased the supply chain of Nebraska wheat from farm to table, which in turn can create a deeper understanding and leave a lasting impression.

The Nebraska Wheat Board administers the wheat checkoff at 0.5% of net value of wheat marketed in Nebraska at the point of first sale. The board invests the funds into programs of international and domestic market development, policy development, research, promotion and education.