11/06/08 Selling Idaho wheat in Mexico

Seven airline flights and 23 taxi trips in five days for Gary Fuhriman, Ray Poe and Scott Mallory. The Farm Bureau delegation went to Mexico to talk to millers about Idaho wheat. Fuhriman says they met with millers in four cities. FUHRIMAN "Every one of them without reservation commented about the quality of the wheat in Idaho. They would get as much wheat as they could from Idaho but the biggest share of them with this financial situation that's going on here in our country its doing the same thing in Mexico." One Mexican miller said he will come to Idaho next month and seek growers who will supply him with wheat, even though the price may be higher than he'd pay for Midwest or Canadian wheat. Fuhriman says Idaho wheat could be in big demand in Mexico where the government is pressing for healthier whole wheat bread products. FUHRIMAN "The hard white wheat that we have been sending down to them works extremely well for their whole wheat because of it being a white wheat it doesn't discolor the bread." Bottom line says Fuhriman is that we can supply Mexico with wheat but today the price for wheat and shipping costs are more important to some millers than the quality. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott