Each year from June through October, the Washington Grain Commission (WGC) welcomes international wheat buyers who travel thousands of miles to see the source of their supply. These trade teams are composed of flour millers, bakers, food manufacturers, and grain buyers — many of whom rely on the quality and consistency of Washington-grown wheat classes, which include soft white (SW), club, hard red wheat (HRW), and hard red spring (HRS).
Organized by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and hosted by the WGC, our 2025 trade team season will draw in five trade teams, enabling us to build trust, strengthen relationships, and help sustain demand for the SW, club, HRW, and HRS grown in our state. Most importantly, they offer an opportunity for overseas buyers to connect directly with the producers, researchers, and supply chain professionals who grow and deliver their products to market.
Why trade teams matter
Wheat buyers have plenty of options for where they purchase their wheat. Trade team visits help set U.S. wheat apart by providing transparency, technical assurance, and a personal connection to the farmers who grow the grain that will become their region’s flour and food products. For buyers, seeing a field of wheat or meeting a breeder gives them confidence in the quality and consistency they expect when choosing where to purchase.
For growers, these visits are a chance to share what makes Washington wheat and Washington farmers unique. Whether it’s sustainability, stewardship, or soil quality, our producers have a strong story to tell. Trade team tours allow us to tell these stories directly — often over a shared meal or standing in the middle of a wheat field.
What a trade team visit looks like
Washington’s role in these tours is critical. In just a few days, we work to strategically show the full picture of our wheat supply chain and quality practices, including our high-performing wheat varieties, university-backed research programs, cutting-edge quality labs, grain elevators, barge and rail infrastructure, and, most importantly, the farmers who grow it all. To accomplish this, a typical trade team itinerary includes:
- Farm and field tours, where trade teams walk fields and talk with farmers to understand growing conditions and production decisions.
- Research and quality labs, where participants meet with Washington State University (WSU) wheat breeders and visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Western Wheat Quality Lab to learn how end-use performance is developed and tested.
- Grain handling and export, which include stops at elevators and shuttle-loading facilities to demonstrate how wheat moves efficiently to the ports.
- Meals with growers, where growers and trade teams casually gather to build long-term connections through an exchange of ideas and information.
2025 Trade Team Schedule
This year’s lineup includes both longtime markets and regions where demand is growing. If you see a team that aligns with your interests or customer base, consider getting involved!
SOUTH AMERICAN MILLING ASSOCIATION, JUNE 8–10.
SW is gaining ground in South America, particularly along the Pacific Coast, where consistent market development efforts are raising awareness of its quality and value. Chile leads the region in SW imports, while Peru and Colombia represent emerging opportunity markets.
JAPANESE MID-LEVEL MANAGEMENT TEAM, JULY 8–10.
Japan traditionally imports Western White (WW) wheat, a blend of SW and over 20% club wheat, mainly from Washington, to produce premium confectionery products. WW holds over 90% of Japan’s confectionery flour market.
SOUTH KOREAN CROP SURVEY, JULY 24–27.
SW is favored in South Korea for its bright color and soft texture, used widely in high-quality biscuits and cakes. While Australian wheat leads in noodles, U.S. wheat dominates the growing instant ramen flour market.
SOUTHEAST ASIA TEAM, AUG. 6–8.
SW is valued across South and Southeast Asia for its low protein, bright color, and soft texture, ideal for cakes, cookies, and crackers. Demand is growing in this region as consumer preferences within these emerging markets shift toward higher-quality, Western-style baked goods.
JAPANESE BISCUIT ASSOCIATION (JBA), OCT. 5–7.
After a successful visit in 2024, the WGC is looking forward to hosting the JBA trade team again this October. Japan remains a key buyer of Washington’s SW and club wheat, consistently valuing its premium quality for high-end confectionery products. While recent purchases are slightly below the five-year average, current sales are trending higher than last year.
The Club Wheat Technical Exchange: A unique collaboration
In addition to the trade teams listed above, a specialized Club Wheat Technical Exchange will take place Sept. 14–16, hosted jointly by the Washington Grain Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), and the Japan Flour Millers Association (JFMA).
This program differs from USW-funded trade teams. Since 2018, it has served as a direct international collaboration focused on variety development. Each year, club wheat breeding lines from USDA-ARS in Pullman are sent to Japan for testing. Millers conduct detailed analyses — grinding, milling, and baking — then return feedback to U.S. breeders on which lines meet their strict quality standards.
This process allows U.S. breeders to make data-driven decisions about which club wheat lines to advance, aligning closely with market demand. It has led to the development of varieties that excel in both agronomic performance and end-use characteristics.
For Japanese confectioners, club wheat (typically blended with SW as “Western White”) is prized for creating a melt-in-your-mouth texture in baked goods without the need for added fats. In the U.S., the same result typically requires much higher fat content. According to wheat quality expert Art Bettge, U.S. food manufacturers could use club wheat to develop healthier, lower-fat products if they embraced it the way Japan does.
As a Washington-specialty class, club wheat presents a unique marketing opportunity, and this exchange ensures it remains aligned with its most prominent club wheat customer.
This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of Wheat Life Magazine.
Jake Liening
Market Development Specialist, Washington Grain Commission