“The new website emphasizes the importance of the U.S. wheat farmers we represent, their overseas customers and the reputation of U.S. wheat as an essential ingredient in hundreds of wheat foods around the world,” said Amanda Spoo, USW assistant director of communications. “The site is now organized to make it easier for visitors to access many of the site’s most popular sections and to improve access from mobile devices.”
The website includes new features and information and is organized in six sections:
- About Us introduces USW and features information about its farmer board of directors, staff and expanded information about its 17 office locations and the countries they serve.
- Market and Crop Information is home to a familiar set of reports, including the Price Report and Charting Tool section, Harvest Reports, Crop Quality, Supply and Demand and Commercial Sales. A new “Ask the Expert” feature allows site visitors to confidentially seek answers to questions about contract specifications, wheat quality, milling and end-product uses, and flour quality.
- Working with Buyers describes the type of activities USW conducts with its customers, the six U.S. wheat classes and their uses, wheat industry terms, as well as U.S. wheat grade and non-grade factors; a new Resources section for buyers, millers and end-product processors is also featured.
- Who We Represent introduces the state wheat commission organizations that help fund USW activities, highlights the educational partners that work with USW to provide short courses and seminars, and summarizes successful activities with customers.
- Policy is an expanded section focused on how USW and the wheat farmers it represents are working to improve market access, monitor trade agreement negotiations, promote scientifically sound regulation and support the public/private partnership between farmers and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
- News and Events includes new features and information, including a “blog” version of USW’s “Wheat Letter” newsletter, expanded information and registration for biennial marketing conferences and board meetings, and “Trigonoticias,” USW’s Spanish language newsletter.
“How we communicate with our customers and stakeholders needs to reflect the high quality and reliable performance of U.S. wheat and build trust in U.S. wheat farmers,” said Steve Mercer, vice-president of communications. “We believe the new site does that effectively.”
In addition, there are newly designed pages that summarize USW’s news and information in Spanish, French, Arabic, Traditional Mandarin and Simplified Mandarin.
USW’s mission is to develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance wheat’s profitability for U.S. wheat producers and its value for their customers in more than 100 countries, the association said.
