Radio Oklahoma Ag Network intern, Maci Carter had the chance to talk with Executive Director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Mike Schulte, about the Grown Tour.
“The Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, and Sherri Glazier, known as the ‘Dirt Road Dietitian,’ have put on a seminar called ‘Grown,’ where we have invited the Oklahoma Academy of Registered Dietitians to do a farm tour and food supply chain tour in northwestern Oklahoma,” Schulte said.
One goal of the event was to demonstrate to dietitians the research that is performed to provide a safe and consistent product that is seen on grocery store shelves.
“We know they (dietitians) are really big influencers with the public that are consumers, and we feel like it has been a great relationship,” Schulte said. “In the past, we have done a couple of things with them, and several of them have said when we have had to discuss regarding celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.”
Registered dietitians had the chance to not only hear about research but to see and learn about wheat varieties that have recently been planted.
“It has really been a wonderful opportunity for us, but it has also been a wonderful opportunity for the registered dietitians because only one or two that were in the group of 40 actually have a farm background, so we have had wonderful opportunity to meet with individuals who may have never had the chance to grow up on a farm or be on a farm to see the production practices and the different farm practices we utilize when growing our product form the time it is planted until it is harvested,” Schute said.
When it comes to gut health, Schulte said there can sometimes be misdiagnosis when it comes to gluten sensitivity, so allowing dietitians to take a look at some different options may help with some of those issues.
Wheat Checkoff dollars were utilized to educate the influencers at the event, Schulte said, because it is a good opportunity to show wheat research efforts, end-use quality characteristics and more.
“We feel like we have a really nice and consistent product that hopefully is going to let our influencers know that we as agricultural producers are working very hard to provide a safe and consistent product,” Schulte said.
