Michigan Wheat PrograM

Annual Report2013-2014

Today’s Research for Tomorrow’s Crop

Yield Profitability+ =Quality

Michigan Wheat Program

Dear Fellow Michigan Wheat Farmer:

When my fellow board members and I look back on the achievements of the Michigan Wheat Program, there’s a lot to be proud of in just a couple of years. I believe that we’ve charted a course of action that will truly make winter wheat production in our state more profitable and less risky for growers.

In 2011-12, the Michigan Wheat Program was just getting established. After the grower referendum in July 2011, Governor Snyder appointed our first board. We met right away in December 2011, and hired our Executive Director, Jody Pollok-Newsom, to begin working in March 2012.

We implemented the check-off process and the first assessments were received in May 2012. We’ve been off and running ever since!

In December 2012, we met with growers, industry, researchers, seed growers, input suppliers, millers, end users and other stakeholders to develop a strategic plan. Throughout the 2013-14 fiscal year, the board was guided by our strategic plan and focused on a leadership path for the state’s wheat industry and the check-off program.

As board members, we believe the extensive input and thought in that strategic plan is the blueprint for the future of Michigan-grown wheat.

In the following pages you will read about the areas of priority for the Michigan Wheat Program. We definitely consider research our number-one priority, but we’ve also invested the check-off’s time and resources in building our grower programs and increasing our communications.

I encourage you to review our results to this point. I believe you’ll also get excited about the future of red and white winter wheat production in Michigan, and join our efforts to improve the Michigan wheat industry.

Thanks for your support!

David Milligan,

Chairman, Michigan Wheat Program

Mission StatementTo promote a viable, thriving and growing Michigan wheat industry that includes input suppliers,

seed producers, growers, millers, end users and consumers.

Michigan Wheat Program Board: Laying Tomorrow’s Foundations Today

The 2013-14 Annual Report represents the Michigan Wheat Program’s third year of operation, which included all of the original board members – four of whom also served on the temporary wheat committee that helped developed the vision for a wheat check-off and worked diligently on its passage. All nine original board members have sought reappointment and served through the end of fiscal 2014.

Created under Public Act 232, the Michigan Wheat Program was voted in through a 2011 grower referendum to fund and solicit research projects, develop educational programs and meet marketing needs for the state’s nearly 8,000 wheat farmers.

The Michigan Wheat Program’s nine-member board of directors is comprised of eight farmers from across Michigan, who serve in one of eight geographic districts. The board’s ninth director represents the milling industry. All of them are appointed by the Governor.

Each director has brought unique skills and farming interests to the board, ranging from financial expertise to sustainability interests, soil science, farm planning and new technology.

These board members have each devoted hundreds of hours to help develop, shape and guide the check-off through its development and now into its early years. Laying the groundwork with “Today’s Research for Tomorrow’s Crop,” summarizes the board’s work to date. Michigan’s wheat farmers said they needed research, and the board has been focused on research – primarily to investigate quality and yield issues.

National Association of Wheat Growers Representation

David Milligan, Director NAWG Committees: Research and Technology, Nominating, Budget, and Operations and Planning Attended Wheat Industry Leaders of Tomorrow, 2013

Chris Schmidt, Director NAWG Committee: Domestic Trade & Policy Attended Wheat Industry Leaders of Tomorrow, 2013

Top Priority:

RESEARCH

The Michigan Wheat Program Board, 2013-14Seated, from left: Secretary Chris Schmidt; Vice Chairman Art Loeffler; Chairman David Milligan; and Treasurer Scott Heussner. Back row, from left: Executive Director Jody Pollok-Newsom; William Hunt, Dean Kantola, Frank Vyskocil, Carl Sparks and Gerald Heck.

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Research – in the lab, in the field – is key to future success.

Applied and basic research to advance the Michigan wheat industry has been a founding principle for the Michigan Wheat Program. It is also the check-off’s top priority for the future, and has been important to the board’s strategic plan.

The following pages describe the 15 projects funded by the Michigan Wheat Program board in 2013-14. Some are completed, while others are still a work in progress.

In the 2013-14 fiscal year, the Michigan Wheat Program funded 15 projects and invested more than $300,000. Some of the projects ran multiple years and others were a single-year investment.

2013-14 Projects Funded included:

2013-14 Research Projects of the Michigan Wheat Program

Using cover crops with wheat to improve rotational profitability, Dr. Dean Baas. Budget: $14,568The future of wheat and the importance of cover crops

Researcher Dean Baas, of MSU’s Centreville station, is two years into a three-year investigation of the profitability of different cover crops that work well in a wheat rotation.

The project is a unique and positive collaboration between the Michigan Wheat Program, the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee and the Corn Market-ing Program of Michigan.

“Historically, rotations have been much more diverse than they are presently,” Baas said. “This loss of diversity is driven by the very high prices being paid for corn and soybeans, and farmers’ increased tendency to specialize in production of livestock and their feed.”

Researchers caution that over-reliance on a few crops can deplete some soil health factors, increase resis-tance to crop inputs and increase insect and diseases that prey on that crop.

“Diversifying by including wheat and wheat plus a cover crop in the rotation has already demonstrated a 25-bushel-per-acre yield benefit to corn [Univ. of Guelph], and a 4 to 6-bushel increase in soybeans,” added Baas. “What we are researching is which cover crops sown with winter wheat improve corn and soybean yields the most in Michigan, and which make other positive contributions to crop and soil health.”

Baas is researching wheat with oilseed radish, medium red clover, oats, sorghum and winter annuals such as cereal rye. Plantings are at the Saginaw Valley Research and Extension Center in Frankenmuth, and at the MSU Agronomy Farm in East Lansing. Educational field days have been held at each location.

Diagnostics of Wheat Samples, Dr. Jan Byrne. Budget: $2,725Year Two: MSU Plant Diagnostic Lab Conducts Farmers’ Wheat Tests

In the second year of an innovative partnership with Michigan State University’s renowned Plant Diagnostic Services Laboratory, the Michigan Wheat Program again provided wheat farmers with financial support and timely access to test unknown disease, insect and physiologi-cal problems with their wheat.

The Plant Diagnostic Lab provided rapid results and, often, mitigation or crop improvement strategies. At the end of each growing season, results of all wheat samples submitted are reviewed for trends or possible new dis-ease or pests, and reported to the Michigan Wheat Program board. The lab also works with MSU Extension wheat specialist Martin Nagelkirk to work with farmers on any field issues such as nutrient and drainage problems.

In fiscal 2013-14 the Plant Diagnostic Lab received 26 samples and identified problems including Pythium blight, Rhizoctonia, bacterial and viral mosaics, leaf rust, Stagnospora blotch, tan spot and Cephalosporium stripe. Several of the problems were linked to wet spring soils. Some nutritional and crop input damages were identified as well.

MWP will fund the program again in the coming season, and growers who have undiagnosed problems should visit miwheat.org and click on the Diagnostic Services Submittal Form for the paperwork and directions for submitting their samples.

Diversification of Corn and Soybean Crops with Quality and High Yielding Wheat Rotations, Tom VanWagner of the Lenawee County Center of Excellence. Budget: $9,850Lenawee Center of Excellence Looking at Double Cropping Wheat with Soybeans & Crop Rotations

Economic evaluation of using a diverse rotation of corn, soybeans and wheat and its effects on soil quality verses a corn soybean rotation. Tom VanWagner Lenawee County Center of Excellence Budget: $9,850The Lenawee Center of Excellence Project is evaluating:• Economics of wheat populations and row spacing• Interseeding of soybeans into wheat in June prior to wheat harvest• Partnering with The Ohio State University and Dr. Laura Lindsey to evaluate these systems• Economics of growing a three-year rotation of corn, soybeans and wheat with cover crops to evaluate the benefits of soil quality using this rotation compared to a corn and soybean rotation.• Using the Optrix gps tool for applying nutrients to a growing wheat crop• High production wheat systems using fungicides, insecticides and different varieties. Tests occur in replicated strip trials on Southeast Michigan farms. The results were shared at a results meeting in January, and will be highlighted again at the field day in August.

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Maximizing Soybean Economic Return in a Modified Relay Intercropping System, Eric Richer and Dr. Laura Lindsey. Budget: $1,250Doubling Up on Land Use

Wide-row wheat production may increase overall farm profitability by allowing for intercropping of soybeans prior to wheat harvest which holds promise to get two crops off in the same year. Additionally, wide-row wheat allows farmers to plant wheat even if they no longer maintain a grain drill. Researchers Eric Richer of Fulton County Extension (Ohio) and Dr. Laura Lindsey of The Ohio State University are in their first year of the project. Objectives of their three on-farm research trials in Fulton County, Ohio near the Lenawee County border were to identify the optimum seeding rate for wide-row wheat. In all three farm trials, the standard practice of 7.5-inch row width at 2.0 million seeds per acre yielded greater than wheat grown in 15-inch row width at 1.0 and 1.5 million seeds per acre. At 15-inch row width, 1.0 million seeds per acre yielded the same as 1.5 million seeds per acre at two farms and 1.0 million seeds per acre out-yielded 1.5 million seeds per acre at one farm.

Wide-row wheat is less profitable than the standard practice. However, wide-row wheat may offer seed cost savings and the opportunity to interseed soybeans in northern Ohio/southern Michigan where double cropping soybeans is difficult. Additionally, wide-row wheat can be planted without the use of a grain drill.

Evaluation of Oilseed Radish Added to Wheat to Increase Wheat Yields in Michigan, Dean Baas. Budget: $7,500The future of oilseed radish as a wheat cover crop, year 2

In the second year of the evaluation of oilseed radish as a wheat cover crop, Dean Baas, of MSU’s Centrev-ille station, expanded the project into five locations across the state. Research is occurring on farms in Bay City, Ravenna, Centreville and Monroe, as well as at the Kellogg Biological Station in Hickory Corners.

Results from 2012 and 2013 showed a promising yield increase from interseeding oilseed radish into wheat. The project was continued in 2014-15 to validate the earlier work, and to investigate optimal planting date and seeding rates.

Current year testing is looking at three different oilseed radish planting dates and three distinct rates of seeding. Data will be gathered for fall wheat yields and population, pre-harvest wheat biomass, test weight and infiltration.

Baas will also review the economics of adding oilseed radish relative to increased yields, to determine the profitability of the practice.

Wheat-Related Projects, Martin Nagelkirk. Budget: $20,000The “go to” guy for Michigan Wheat Initiative

The Michigan Wheat Program has continued to fund Martin Nagelkirk both in his role as a MSU Exten-sion Educator and for his work coordinating field research. Nagelkirk founded the Michigan Wheat Initiative project to improve profitability of wheat production, and also coordinates MI Wheat Watchers, a volunteer network that regularly tracks and reports the status of wheat and pests statewide.

His work plan includes:

• collaborating in on-farm wheat strip trials;

• conducting practical field research on wheat management;

• producing educational fact sheets;

• making presentations at many grower programs and events;

• and working with a wide range of collaborators.

Nagelkirk, based in Sanilac County, serves as a point person from MSU to work with the state’s wheat industry. He plays a valuable role in coordinating wheat research, reporting on crop conditions and disseminating information helpful to the state’s 8,000 wheat farmers.

Advanced Testing of Michigan Wheat Varieties Dr. Eric Olson and Lee Siler. Budget: $20,000Year 2 of High-Management Trials Suffer from Winter Kill

Picking up where they left off in the summer of 2013, the team of Dr. Eric Olson and Lee Siler continued to investigate the potential of high-management production practices to improve wheat yields.

Michigan wheat already has per-acre yields significantly higher than the national average. However, Michigan farmers are still less likely to plant wheat than corn or soybeans due to lower revenue, disease concerns and risk of frost before a double crop matures.

Siler and Olson, both of the MSU Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, have been testing high- management practices in six locations in Allegan, Ingham, Huron, Lenawee, Sanilac and Tuscola counties. Due to significant winter kill during the severe winter of 2013-14, the locations in Sanilac and Lenawee were completely abandoned and the Tuscola County site was partially abandoned for research purposes.

The trials are comprehensive, including all 93 commercial varieties and experimental wheat seed lines that are part of MSU’s Wheat State Performance Trials. Project design calls for eight plots, four each in Siler’s high-management and unmanaged protocols.

A Michigan high-management protocol included an early spring broadcast application of 90 lb. granular urea and her-bicide. A second application included 30lb. liquid nitrogen applied with streamer bars. A fungicide was applied before a flag leaf emergence to control lower canopy diseases. Finally, a fungicide was applied when flowering began.

In the first year, the MSU high-management trials yielded on average 112 bushels per acre – 18 percent more than the unmanaged plot at the same location – while average test weight was 59.9 for high management versus 59.2 for conventional.

Results for the second season of research are less definitive, possibly due to effects from the 2013-14 winter. Results in Huron County were down 6.4 bushels per acre (in 2013 this plot was up 14.9 bushels/acre) and down 4.5 bushels/acre at the reduced site in Tuscola County. However, the high-management plots in Ingham were up 10.3 bushels/acre in 2014 and up 7.3 bushels/acre in Allegan County – giving two solid years of high-management success in those two locations.

MSU researchers advise wheat farmers to review at least three years of data when making planting decisions, as that timeframe presents a wider range of potential weather and disease challenges.

The Michigan Wheat Program has funded the project again for the 2014-15 crop year, with support from the Michigan State Wheat Breeding and Genetics Program. Hopefully winter 2014-15 will have less winter-kill and third-year results will be more conclusive.

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In 2014, with the cooler than normal growing season, second crop soybeans would have been a tough sell, even in the extreme southwest portion of the state. However, "C" crop snap beans did yield fairly well following wheat in 2014. MacKellar continues to believe that the second crop soybean enterprise can be profitable in most years in St. Joseph, Branch and eastern portions of Cass Counties.

Taking a second look at second crop soybeans, Bruce MacKellar. Budget: $2,600

Bruce MacKellar, MSU Extension in Berrien County, was funded by the Michigan Wheat Program to investigate the opportunities posed by a double-crop of wheat and soybeans as part of a farmer’s rotation.

With its slightly longer growing season, farmers in the southern two tiers of counties in Southwest Michigan may have the potential to harvest both winter wheat (plus the wheat straw) and a second crop of soybeans in the same growing season. This added productivity may make the wheat rotation more economically appealing to farmers, MacKellar theorizes.

While each growing season is different, farmers in that corner of the state can usually produce a second crop of soybeans if the wheat can be harvested by the first or early in the second week of July.

To achieve this greater productivity, farmers must be willing both to harvest the wheat as early as possible – including running it through a dryer if needed – and have irrigation available to encourage rapid sprouting of the soybean crop.

The proposal seeks to take a one-year look at the second-crop soybeans including optimal seeding rate, best planting date and soybean maturity group best suited for this later planting. Test plots will be put on-farm in Southwest Michigan, collecting productivity and cost/profit data.

Impact of Weed Management Timing on Weed Control and Frost-seeded Clover Survival in Winter Wheat, Dr. Christy Sprague. Budget: $11,220

Increasing farmer awareness of the impact of fall or spring herbicide applications on weed control and frost-seeded clover survival was another project by Dr. Christy Sprague.

There has been limited research in the upper Midwest evaluating the effects of herbicide application timing on frost-seeded clover survival and weed control in winter wheat. While there are many potential benefits for seeding red clover in winter wheat several of the herbicides used can significantly reduce or completely wipe out a stand of red clover. However, there is the potential that some of these herbicides may be applied in the fall and possibly not cause a problem with red clover. But these fall herbicide applications may also not be as effective on some of our more common summer annual weed problems in winter wheat.

Sprague examined what affect fall and spring application timings had on frost-seeded clover survival and weed control for several herbicides on a soft white winter wheat at the Saginaw Valley Research and Extension Center near Richville. The results from this research will help guide future weed management decisions as farm-ers move toward high management wheat crops.

Preliminary results show that spring applications of Affinity BroadSpec, Huskie, PowerFlex HL, Clarity and 2,4-D were effective in controlling common lambs-quarters. Frost-seeded clover was able to tolerate fall applications of all the herbicides, including Osprey. However, there was a slightly lower population of clover from fall applied Osprey, so this may be a concern. There was also some initial bleaching from fall applica-tions of Huskie.

All spring herbicide applications caused significant injury and stand reduction of clover. More details may be seen at http://www.msuweeds.com/assets/Annual-Results/2014-Results/WT01-14-FALLSVREC.pdf.

Over-Activation of Wheat Native FHB Resistance Genes in the US Wheat, Dr. Mariam Sticklen. Budget: $71,964Traditional Hybrids May Hold Key to Fusarium Resistance

Fusarium head blight (FHB) has plagued U.S. wheat, in fact wheat crops around the world, for decades. No truly resistant varieties exist, although a handful of strains are categorized as less susceptible. After 10 years of research across three continents with these less-susceptible varieties, the FHB resistance trait – which spans multiple genes in the wheat genome – has not been successfully transferred to more desirable and elite strains of wheat.

Incomplete mapping of the wheat genome has also inhibited a breeding solution to FHB.

Dr. Sticklen, a Professor with MSU’s Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, seeks to bring her experience in breeding other small grains to this important wheat issue, which has frustrated researchers from the U.S., Japan and China for years.

In a multi-year project that began in FY 2013-14, she hopes to develop a traditional hybrid solution to this challenge.

2013-14 Research Projects of the Michigan Wheat Program

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Planting Date, Nitrogen Rate, and Nitrogen Timing Interactions to Optimize Michigan Winter Wheat Production, Dr. Kurt Steinke. Budget: $40,204Looking for winning nitrogen combinations

In the first year of a multi-year project, Dr. Kurt Steinke, of MSU’s Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences continued to look at the best combinations of wheat planting dates, and rates and timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer.

He also studied individual components to high-yield wheat management including the use of the plant growth regulator Palisade which has been observed to decrease plant lodging and increase plant tillering when used on other plant species.

Nitrogen is the greatest investment for wheat production, and Michigan farmers will continue to require updated response and application data as wheat production systems continue to evolve.

Too little N reduces yield while excessive N affects lodging and grain quality problems not to mention added input costs and environmental risk.

First-year preliminary data from Steinke’s project has indicated that an early- to mid-October planting date resulted in greater yields than September or late October planting dates. However, mid-September planted wheat suffered substantial lodging losses thus reducing final yields. Nitrogen rate reductions were possible with early planted wheat as 75 pounds of N per acre maximized yield in September planted wheat with 105 pounds of nitrogen per acre maximizing yield with all October planted wheat. As expected, head density and head count were best with the September planting resulting in greater plant tillering.

Application of Palisade plant growth regulator increased yield across multiple studies by an average of 5 bushels per acre with greater yield increases occurring at mid- to high N application rates. Steinke’s field research trials will continue in 2015, investigating soil fertility strate-gies across the entire winter wheat agronomic system and special focus on individual nutrient components within this system for Michigan wheat farmers.

Developing Microbial Protection for Disease Resistance in Wheat, Dr. Frances Trail and Dr. Eric Olson. Budget: $39,509Whole lot’ta micro-helpers can possibly protect a wheat crop

Another dimension of preventing wheat disease may quite possibly be discovered in a little-known research plot at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) in Hickory Corners, Mich. For 27 years the plot of land known as the Kellogg Long-Term Ecological Research site has been continuously rotating corn, soybeans and wheat in four different production techniques: Conventional till, no-till, reduced-input and organic practices.

Having been under this orderly rotation and four distinct production techniques for so long, the Kellogg Long-Term Ecological Research site is a unique location for studying the emerging scientific field of microbiomes.

Microbiomes are the ecology of microorganisms associated with a particular environment; in this case, microbiomes associated with a typical wheat rotation. Think of microbiomes as the microorganisms that exist in one’s gut: Some good, some potentially harmful duking it out to create a healthy digestive environment. Similarly, some of the organisms in a wheat microbiome may be very good at suppressing diseases or physiological problems in wheat.

Because the Kellogg Long-Term Ecological Research site was planted to wheat in 2013, MWP funding enabled Trail’s team to collect plants and begin to isolate the different microorganisms in the KBS wheat microbiome. To date, the team has identified more than 1,150 bacteria and over 550 fungi associated with wheat there.

They are now determining which microbes help protect against Fusarium in the laboratory, and will then move on to greenhouse trials with the best performers and then select wheat varieties to further pursue. Long-term these microbes could be turned into seed treatments or foliar sprays that could protect a farmer’s wheat crop.

Partial Support for Purchasing a new Farinograph, Dr. Perry K. W. Ng and Dr. Eric Olson. Budget: $25,000

What’s a Farinograph? (Pronounced: fuh-REE-no-graff)

The Michigan Wheat Program helped buy a new high-tech Farinograph to assist the research of Dr. Perry K.W. Ng and Dr. Eric Olson, who have other Michigan Wheat Program-funded projects to identify wheat varieties that will perform well in the years ahead, both for Michigan farmers and for the milling and baking industries. Linking the cereal chemistry of Dr. Ng with the development and release of new varieties of Dr. Olson is vital to ensure Michigan farmers have high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties that are also suited for the millers and end users.

The Farinograph, invented in 1928, may be used to measure several qualities of wheat flour including:

• Water absorption of the flour

• Tolerance (stretchiness) of a flour’s gluten

• Stability of flour under mixing

• Optimal mixing time

Knowing these qualities of flour made from a particular new variety of wheat will help Ng, Olson and other MSU researchers select the best wheat line candidates to move forward with commercialization and to drive the future of Michigan’s wheat industry.

Michigan State University’s previous Farinograph was well-worn and missing some state-of-the-art features. MWP invested $25,000, with additional funds coming from MSU Project GREEEN and the Soft White Wheat Endowment Fund, toward the purchase of the new instrument worth a total of $72,600.

Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates in Wheat Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Crop Modeling, Dr. Bruno Basso. Budget: $19,000“Eye in the Sky” to evaluate wheat stands

A new area of partnership for wheat research is with the MSU Department of Geological Sciences, where the Michigan Wheat Program has funded researcher Dr. Bruno Basso to get a different view of wheat field productivity.

Basso is researching how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – also called agricultural drones – can improve understanding about what’s going on in the wheat field. He is particularly researching wheat’s response to nitrogen fertilizer and fungicide application to address Fusarium head blight, leaf rust, Septoria leaf spot and Stagonospora leaf blotch.

The camera-equipped UAV can hover over a crop for up to 25 minutes, taking photos and using a thermal camera and laser scanner to detect and determine the crop’s response to fertilizer and fungicide. Basso uses light reflec-tance to detect crop stress factors including nitrogen, disease, weed or water stress, and lodging. UAVs can also be used to readily see winter damage.

His research will evaluate the capability of remote sensing from different platforms (UAV, planes and satellite) to capture results of different nitrogen fertilization rates and distribution, disease detection and fungicide applications. High-management plots are part of the research plan.

After capturing photos of a wheat field, Basso uses algorithms to analyze the UAV’s spectral images. Early research has focused on the best camera angle to capture traits of crop stress. In time, Basso’s results may be used to predict stresses in the wheat field, recommend needed treatments for optimum yield, and to forecast production. Basso is assisted in the work by his graduate and undergraduate students. The work has occurred in cooperation with Martin Nagelkirk on some of his plots.

Investigating Common Windgrass Management Systems in Winter Wheat, Dr. Christy Sprague. Budget: $5,000Controlling windgrass in winter wheat

What was once a pesky weed confined to wheat farms in Huron and Sanilac counties, has now become more broadly distributed across Michigan – demanding better solutions on how to control common windgrass.

Windgrass (Aperia spica-venti) is a winter annual grass species that parallels many features of winter wheat including emergence timing and growth habit. These features combined with a shortage of chemical control options and lack of knowledge about the ef-fectiveness of chemical controls, have made it difficult for wheat farmers to keep windgrass under control.

Michigan Wheat Program funded associate professor and extension specialist Christy Sprague, of MSU’s Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences in 2012-13. Sprague and her weed science technician sprayed, maintained and analyzed results of several different herbicides on different wheat plots infested with wheat grass.

In particular Sprague looked at pre-emergent and postemergent summer-fall treatments, along with spring treatments that best manage windgrass infestations. They reviewed any potential wheat damage caused by the treatments, and published a fact sheet on windgrass identification and management.

The fact sheet may be viewed at http://www.msuweeds.com/assets/ExtensionPubs/CommonWindgrass-inMI-2013.pdf.

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Communication and Education – keeping us on the same page.

Making sure wheat farmers realize what the Michigan Wheat Program is all about is another focus of the check-off organization. As the organization grows and continues to fund more research and get involved in more programming, it is vital that farmers have access to those research results and recommendations and are aware of the educational programming around the state that will help their bottom line.

The Michigan Wheat Program utilizes ag media, face to face meetings, field days, e-newslet-ters, a website and publications to reach wheat farmers across the state. MWP also partners with other ag groups on events and activities that include pertinent information for growers.

In addition to growers, the Michigan Wheat Program also real-izes it is important to be aware of consumer thoughts, concerns and trends. Fad diets and misinformation can be devastating to food industries, so it is important to share the wheat story with those audiences so they understand the importance of wheat to the state, their diet and our farmers.

The program is just beginning to develop the tools and background information to communicate with the public about the health and societal benefits of Michigan-grown wheat and wheat products. Moving into the consumer arena is not a move to be made lightly.

Communication

& Education

2nd Annual Winter Grower Meeting, March 2014

In only its second year, the Michigan Wheat Program’s Annual Winter Grower meeting attracted almost 250 wheat farmers to a one-day session in mid-March near East Lansing.

The grower meeting supported the research and education priorities of the MWP, and brought out-of-state presenters into Michi-gan to share wheat information.

An important focus of the meeting was the emerging emphasis on high-management wheat, including a presentation by Chris Bowley of Kentucky-based Wheat Tech, Inc. High-management presentations discussed how to make wheat production more profit-able, and how to use wheat in a profitable crop rotation strategy.

Two-thirds of attendees said the meeting would improve their profitability and 62 per-cent said what they learned would increase their yields. All PowerPoint presentations and handouts from the Winter Grower Meeting are available at www.miwheat.org.

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Communication ActivitiesWinter Wheat Summer Field Day

Nearly 200 Michigan wheat farmers traveled to Frankenmuth in June 2014, to learn about the advances in wheat production at the Michigan Wheat Program’s 2nd annual Winter Wheat Field Day. It was held at the MSU Saginaw Valley Research & Extension Farm, and reflected MWP’s emphasis on communicating its work to farmers.

The nearly day-long event began with a wagon tour featuring Michigan State University researchers presenting at six different wheat plots on topics including insect pests, diseases, fertilization, new varieties, crop rotation and weed control.

“Agricultural drones” are hot news, and the demonstration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was a crowd-pleaser! UAVs are being used for improved crop monitoring and input information, although the Michigan Wheat Program has funded research with Dr. Bruno Basso to really develop outcomes and processes for better utilizing the data.

Winter Wheat Field Day programming also included a market outlook, Michigan wheat harvest update, the latest wheat seed information and a combine clinic. While in the area, many farmers toured nearby wheat variety trial plots which, thanks to funding by the Michigan Wheat Program, were done under high management. The day’s event was supported by the Michigan Crop Improvement Association.

Growers unable to attend the meeting may find the information including presentations and handouts at www.miwheat.org. Several videos were filmed at the event, and these are available on YouTube at the Michigan Wheat Channel.

Watch for information on the 2015 Field Day, which will be held at the MSU campus in East Lansing in June 2015.

Now Sponsoring . . .

The Michigan Wheat Program board has embraced innovative partnerships with a number of organizations and also the opportunity to display at events and activities. Some of those include:

• 2nd Annual Great Lakes Crop Summit 450+ attendees, 130+ in wheat programming

• Michigan State University IPM/Crop Management Meetings

• Breakfast on the Farm

• Ag Day at the Capitol

• MI Millers Association – membership and meetings

• MI Ag Business Assn - membership and meetings

• National Association of Wheat Growers –membership and meetings

• Wheat Foods Council

• Thumb Ag Day

• MI Ag Council

• Michigan Ag Commodities Ag Outlook Day

• MASDA-Midwest Association of State Directors of Agriculture

• MI Crop Improvement Assn

• MI IPM Alliance

• MI Festival and Events Assn

• Bean & Beet Symposium

A little help from our friends

As an emerging check-off organization, the Michigan Wheat Program grows most rapidly when it partners with other ag commodity organizations and associations.

Some of the Michigan Wheat Program’s partners in 2013-14 include:

• Lenawee County Center of Excellence

• Ohio Wheat Growers Association Board

• Wheat Foods Council

• National Association of Wheat Growers

• MSU Extension

• Michigan Ag Council

• Great Lakes Crop Summit-

– Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee

– Corn Marketing Program of Michigan

• Michigan Festivals & Events Association

• McDonald’s®

• Michigan Crop Improvement Association

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The MWP Board of Directors 2013-14 Budget

▲ Assessment collection 1%

▲ Board expenses 6%

▲ Communications/Education 7%

▲ Events 24%

▲ Office 2%

▲ Research 51%

▲ Sponsorship/Membership 9%

▲ Total Spent: $610,830

Website Improvements

In order to remain useful, websites must be continually updated – and the Michigan Wheat Program’s site is no exception. During fiscal year 2013-14, additional information was added to the website including e-newsletter sign-up, handouts and presentation materials from MWP-sponsored meetings, events and other pertinent grower information.

One of the most significant advantages of the website was the ability to immediately provide an electronic platform to release the Michigan State University variety trial results in August. MWP relayed trial results via e-mail lists, a news release and columns in the ag press, all of which pointed farmers to our website for complete details.

Variety trial results for 2013 and 2012 were also added to the website to provide single-source information.

Be sure to bookmark the site to see the latest news. The site is scheduled for significant upgrades and expansion in fiscal 2014-15 to provide farmers with results and recommenda-tions on research funded to date. Check back often, particularly because research results may be more available more frequently than waiting for the annual report.

Inaugural Annual Report

A big achievement this year was publication of the Michigan Wheat Program’s Inaugural Annual Report!

Summarizing the first 18 months of the program, the report included 16 pages of highlights about MWP’s research priorities, leadership team and early marketing initiatives.

“This report celebrates the creation of the Michigan Wheat Program, which was more than 10 years in the making,” said two-term MWP chairman David Milligan, a Cass City wheat farmer. “We can already see tremendous value in the focus we’ve brought to basic and applied research at MSU, which is laying the groundwork to make wheat production more profitable in crop rotations.”

MWP’s Annual Report provides concise summaries of the 14 research projects funded since 2011 through the beginning of fiscal year 2013-14. During that timeframe, the board allocated slightly over half of the grower assessments collected to a well-rounded research program with aggressive timelines and goals.

The report also describes the timeline in which MWP was established, and discusses how the board and executive director Jody Pollok-Newsom have worked to build its image and raise awareness of the state’s wheat industry.

The marketing section – one of three MWP priorities – describes market advantages and opportunities available for Michigan wheat. The Annual Report also introduces MWP’s nine-member board, and illustrates budgetary priorities.

The education section details grower education projects including the Farm Journal wheat college, MWP website and the first winter educational meeting. It also describes consumer education activities including a partnership with other commodity organizations and MI Festivals and Events Association to place 500,000 educational booklets with a wheat educational page in McDonald’s restaurants throughout the state.

Growers may access the full 16-page report at www.miwheat.org under “What’s Hot.” Or request a printed copy by emailing jody@miwheat.org, or by calling MWP at 888-WHEAT01 (888-943-2801).

8

Michigan Wheat supports MAEAP

At the beginning of fiscal 2013-14, the Michigan Wheat Program got on board with the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) in a big way.

The board voted to endorse the voluntary farm validation program operated by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) by offering a one-time $50 incentive to each wheat farmer completing the three-phase process and having his or her farm verified for the first time in the cropping system after June 1, 2013.

MAEAP is part of the strategic marketing platform of the Michigan Wheat Program because it provides the marketplace with strong assuranc-es that Michigan farmers are making environmentally-sustainable business decisions and organizing their recordkeeping. It’s also a proactive way for farmers to assure neighbors and communities that their farms are engaged in good environmental practices.

MAEAP verifications have been ongoing since 2002 and in 2011 became part of Michigan law, as the first legislation signed by Gov. Rick Snyder.

Wheat Program board members Jerry Heck, Dean Kantola, David Milligan, Carl Sparks and Frank Vyskocil are all MAEAP verified.

“The MAEAP process makes sure that we are keeping needed records, which in turn will reduce our liability if anything unexpected or unfortunate does occur,” Kantola said.

While the MAEAP process is free, MWP board members recognize that it may be time-consuming for many farmers. As a result, the board decided to implement the one-time $50 financial award for documented wheat farmers (one award per farmer, not per farm) who are currently growing wheat and obtaining their first verification in MAEAP.

MAEAP requirements are the result of a collaborative, years-long effort of farmers, MDARD, Michigan Farm Bureau, commodity organiza-tions, conservation districts, conservation groups, and state and federal agencies. More than 10,000 Michigan farms have begun the verification process and over 2,500 have completed it to date, according to MDARD statistics.

The first step is for growers to attend a Phase I MAEAP meeting, and many of them are occurring across the state throughout the year. Details and the event schedule may be found at www.maeap.org.

MarketingMarketing Activities

Marketing is another focus area of the Michigan Wheat Program, however it is not as high of a priority as research is at this point. The board feels it is important to have the crop before pursuing new markets and additional activities. Therefore, they have looked at events and programs that are marketing our farmers and the great job they do on their farms.

Marketing: Leveraging Michigan’s unique marketplace strengths to meet future opportunities.

Michigan wheat has significant market opportunities. The state’s wheat farmers will be able to capitalize on them by growing more wheat, particularly by using high-management techniques, new varieties and adopting wheat as a normal part of a crop rotation as it becomes economically feasible for each farm.

A key reason that Michigan wheat is well-positioned in the marketplace is because Eastern-grown soft winter wheat (red and white) has a distinctive profile and is preferred in recipes used by many manufacturers of cereal, cakes, cookies and crackers. Wheat grown elsewhere in the US does not have these same preferred qualities.

Michigan is also within a day’s drive of a majority of the US population, including food manufacturers. This keeps transportation costs low. Manufacturers want consistency in their brand-name products, and are not inclined to switch suppliers. When and where Michigan millers can meet the market demands, there will be strong loyalty from the manufacturers.

With such promise on the horizon, the MWP board and stakeholders paid special attention to marketing goals when establishing the strategic plan in 2013-14.

While this 2013-14 Annual Report was packed with news of importance to the wheat farmers of Michigan, it only comes out once a year.

Wheat farmers can get updates from the Michigan Wheat Program routinely by signing up for our free e-newsletter, called Wheat Wisdom.

Sign up for Wheat Wisdom by visiting www.miwheat.org and entering your name and contact information. The electronic newsletter is written to be a quick-read, highlighting upcoming activities, research briefs and other news of importance to wheat farmers.

Join us today to see what you have been missing!!

Sign up for E-News Today!

Michigan Wheat Program

P.O. Box 25065

Lansing, MI 48909

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