Have you ever wondered what the Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program invests in? The short answer is promotion of wheat products domestically and internationally through different organizations. But the long answer is much more interesting.

One of the organizations the Wheat Checkoff Board invests time and funding in is the Wheat Foods Council (WFC). The WFC focuses on domestic demand for wheat products. Other members include chefs, millers, bakers, and other key players involved in the food production chain. They host events and online seminars talking about the different uses of wheat, the best of the year’s crop, and much more.

They meet with menu developers for major restaurants to determine what will be offered in the future, which has an influence on the network of other establishments. They work with nutritionists and personal trainers to promote a balanced diet with whole grains and needed carbohydrates.

It can be difficult for the average person to find some of these projects and see what their checkoff dollars are funding. But that’s because average people aren’t the target audience. If you’re ever curious and want to take a look, visit https://www.wheatfoods.org to see for yourself the resources and promotion available to anyone interested.

Another organization the Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program is involved in is the U.S. Wheat Associates (USW). This organization is committed to promoting trade and increasing wheat exports. Since over half of the wheat in Ohio is exported, we have a large stake in exports being successful.

USW brings in trade teams from all over the world to see the quality of wheat grown in the country, and Ohio specifically. The trade partnerships forged from these visits are powerful, and wheat from specific farms is often requested by international buyers. Over the next year least two trade teams will be visiting the United States from foreign countries.

To learn more about the U.S. Wheat Associates, please visit https://www.uswheat.org.

If you want to hear OCW Executive Director Tadd Nicholson go through some of the work the Small Grains Marketing Program is doing, go to https://pod.link/1667405910 and listen to Ep 020!