From staff reports Mike Schulte, executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, recently spoke about working with influencers to promote Oklahoma’s wheat and upcoming wheat industry events.
“We have had a busy spring at the Oklahoma Wheat Commission in conjunction with our variety trials across the state,” Schulte said. “We did at the Oklahoma Academy of Registered Dieticians annual Spring Meeting in April have a producer panel that consisted of agricultural producers as well as some of our research scientists at Oklahoma State University discussing the wheat industry and soil health initiatives that we focus on with our research and development programs.”
Schulte said that during the Registered Dieticians seminar, influencers had the chance to learn more about how Oklahoma farmers produce healthy, safe products for consumers. He added that attendees learned about the health benefits of wheat: high fiber and high antioxidants.
“We also have been working in conjunction with the Family and Consumer Science Leaders of America teachers and culinary instructors with career tech, taking them on farm tours and showing some of the things we are working on with our variety development program and in flour usage of products that are made with OSU wheat varieties, which is at Chisholm Trail Milling in Enid as well as Shawnee Mills in Shawnee, Oklahoma,” he said.
Schulte spoke of the 4-H Parent Volunteer Conference and Pre-Conference that was held at OSU’s Food and Agricultural Products Center. The workshop’s goal was to better prepare parents, volunteers and Extension staff to engage with youth in the 4-H youth development effort.
“We do have the Junior Wheat Show Competition visual portion of the competition that is going to be taking place at the Payne County Fairgrounds on July 17,” he said. “If you want to look at the rules for that and if 4-H and FFA students want to submit their 10-pound samples you can go to the Oklahoma Wheat Commission website at okwheat.org under the ‘Outreach and Education’ tab to see the Junior Wheat Show rules of what is required to send those samples in for the judging of the visual competition.”
After the visual section of the com petition, Schulte said samples are taken to OSU’s FAPC for milling and baking analysis. Awards are distributed on Dec. 4 at the Junior Wheat Show Banquet. He added that more than $15,000 worth of scholarships will be available for the top five entries on the 4-H and FFA sides.