12/08/08 Growers enjoy PNW Wheat Export Tour

Washington Ag December 8, 2008 Participants on last week's PNW Wheat Export Tour, sponsored by the Washington Wheat Commission, got to see first-had what it takes to get their wheat downriver to Portland and on to a vessel for export. Growers also visited the Wheat Marketing Center in Portland and that was the highlight for Clint Myers of Latah, who spoke to us by cell phone on the bus ride back. Myers: "I am a younger farmer so it was kind of good to see more of a presentation that talks about the international effects of the wheat that we grow. You know, where it goes. What buyers are after. The process of milling. I don't know a whole lot about milling, just that they are telling us we need to change our varieties because millers like this type of variety. So it is good to see that kind of process, see how it gets milled, and why they want it." Don Oehwein of Davenport grows hard red or bread wheat, and his wife has had bakery experience, so the visit to the Franz Bakery was his highlight. Oehwein: "They run that thing 24 hours a day seven days a week. They make every kind of generic bread for all these other companies. They have got over 120 trucks delivering that stuff daily. That was exciting!" The Wheat Commission covers most of the expenses for growers to take the tour. I'm Bob Hoff.