Oregon Wheat

The Oregon Wheat Growers League, founded in 1906 and headquartered in Pendleton, Oregon, is the oldest wheat growers' organization in the United States, representing wheat farmers across the Pacific Northwest state of Oregon. The organization advocates on agricultural policy issues affecting wheat producers including federal farm bill provisions, crop insurance programs, agricultural research funding, and international trade policy for wheat exports. Oregon is a major wheat-producing state, and soft white wheat grown in the Pacific Northwest is prized by Asian flour mills for its low protein content and excellent baking characteristics for products like sponge cakes, cookies, crackers, and noodles. Over eighty percent of Oregon wheat is exported, with major destinations including Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and China. The league provides members with agronomy research updates, wheat market price information, and grain quality testing resources, and coordinates wheat promotion activities through its affiliated Oregon Wheat Commission which funds international market development programs in Asia to maintain and grow demand for Pacific Northwest wheat exports.