Agricultural News
U.S. Wheat Associates Vice Chairman, Michael Peters is Looking Forward to Promoting U.S. Wheat
Thu, 04 Aug 2022 19:09:05 CDT
Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, visited with the vice chair of U.S. Wheat Associates and Oklahoma wheat producer, Michael Peters. At the gathering of Ecuador and Peruvian wheat millers visiting U.S. soil, Peters talks to Hays about his process of going through the officer chairs with U.S. Wheat.
“It has been off to a slow start, of course with the COVID issues the last few years, but things are really picking up now where we will be able to either have foreign customers come to us like we did today, which is a great chance for us to showcase our product to them,” Peters said, “but also, we are going to be able to go visit their countries and see what they do in their meals and bakeries. It is getting to know them personally that is very important in this.”
In agriculture, Peters said personal relationships are important. It is the same thing with the millers and bakers overseas, he adds.
“It is a great thing to have that personal relationship with them, to go visit their mills, to go showcase our product to them and tell them what our product can do for the end product that they sell to their customers,” Peters said.
At the event, Peters said those from overseas were interested in some new varieties at Oklahoma State University.
“Especially what Brett Carver is putting out as far at the stability time, the mixing times for their products,” Peters said. “It may help them to use more of our hard red winter wheat and not have to buy some soft spring wheat or something like that to mix in with that. “
A benefit for U.S wheat producers is the abundance of offices all around the world.
Peters said it is important to travel internationally and showcase our product because if we are not, there are other countries right behind us that are willing to take our spot.
“When you go and see our overseas staff, the way they interact with our customers over there is amazing,” Peters said. “You could tell it’s not just a job to them, it is a pride thing to be able to sell U.S. wheat that U.S. farmers produce. They enjoy their job and there are proud of what they do and it’s a great relationship they have with our customers.”
Without the overseas staff as part of the team, Peters said it would be tough to sell our product overseas.
Peters just recently assumed the vice chair of U.S. wheat.
“From vice chairman, you’ll move up to the chairman spot and then the past chairman spot,” Peters said. “Through the vice chairman spot, I do have some overseas trips coming up and I will be able to go represent U.S. wheat at different conventions and explain to them what our product is and what we have to offer and that’s a great opportunity for myself, but I think it is great that I am from Oklahoma and will be able to represent us and our hard red winter wheat.”
Peters said there are 17 member states of U.S. wheat that are full members. To have that collaboration between all the states is amazing, he added.
“Yes, I am going to promote, per say, hard red winter wheat because that is my love and that is what I grow, but I also am going to promote all classes of wheat. We all work together, and it is a great thing we have. It is a partnership between all the states, U.S. wheat, and our overseas customers that make it all work.”
Click the LISTEN BAR below to listen to Ron Hays and Michael Peters talk about his journey with U.S. Wheat Associates.
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