HEAT MARKETING CENTER
SERVING THE U.S. WHEAT INDUSTRY
Innovation Lab including Cracker & Biscuit Line, Asian Noodle Line, and Tortilla Line
Wheat is one of the top export
commodities moving through the Columbia Snake River System. According to 2020 statistics cited by the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, 60 percent of all U.S. wheat exports moves through this system on its way to customers in Asia and Latin America. Overall, U.S. wheat producers export half their crop while certain states, including Oregon, Washington, and Montana, export close to 90 percent of their total production. Of the many organizations involved in this endeavor, the unique role of the Wheat Marketing Center (WMC) is explored in this article. 4
Wheat Marketing Center (WMC) was created as an independent non-profit research and educational entity to demonstrate the value of wheat quality and to document the relationship between wheat quality and the quality of the many end products produced with wheat and wheat flour. Located in the historic Albers Mill Building on the Willamette River, WMC serves to foster a shared understanding between U.S. wheat growers and their customers both domestic and international. WMC focuses on promoting U.S. wheat by demonstrating its quality and functionality in end products, including Asian noodles, crackers and biscuits, tortillas and flatbread, and a wide range of baked goods and confections. Pilot
scale production lines, state-of-theart quality testing equipment, and internationally recognized technical expertise provide technical analysis and valuable education to state wheat commission partners, wheat industry stakeholders, flour mills, and food manufacturers around the world.
BACKGROUND During the 1980’s, wheat producers sending their wheat to export markets through PNW ports, envisioned creating a research and technical center to increase understanding and knowledge about the quality and value of U.S. wheat. Thanks to the leadership of U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon, Congress allocated $6 million to
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGE
