The Prairie Star: Montana Ag Newspaper

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Four high level executives from Japanese flour mills and an official from U.S. Wheat Associates (USWA) based in Tokyo arrive in Great Falls on July 16 to learn about the quality of the Montana’s 2008 wheat crop. The trade delegation will be hosted by the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, the check-off organization representing wheat and barley producers in Montana. (The Wheat and Barley Committee is a member of U.S. Wheat, a national organization which develops export markets on behalf of American wheat farmers by working in more than 100 countries, offering assistance to buyers, government officials, millers and bakers.)

While in Montana, the foreign visitors will tour a shuttle facility, as well as a local farm. Kim Falcon, Executive Vice President of the MW & BC, will give an overview of the wheat industry in Montana, presenting information on transportation, marketing, and the current crop conditions. Additionally, the group will participate in a discussion about chemical treatments on wheat in Montana. This group will also sit down with representatives of the local grain trade and some members of farm organizations to complete their discussions.

In Japan, the government agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), purchases the majority of imported wheat and then sells it to the flour millers, the first and largest end users. The Japanese flour milling industry is directly responsible for supplying good quality flour to its bakery, confectionary and noodle industries. There are 124 flour mills in Japan and 100 milling companies, as of 2006. In FY 2007 (April 2007 to March 2008), MAFF purchased a total of 5,125,500 metric tons (188,310,870 bushels) of wheat, with the U.S. share accounting for 3,312,000 metric tons (121,682,880 bushels) or 64.6 percent. Montana is the largest supplier of wheat to Japan, providing, on average, one of every three bushels of wheat to that Asian country.

Since 1969, over 81 representatives from either the Japanese Flour Millers Association or independent millers have visited Montana.