Longtime tour participant Brian Walker, a retired flour milling executive, said the Wheat Quality Council Spring Wheat and Durum Tour offers a unique opportunity to connect the food industry with production agriculture. “They’re getting the opportunity to see U.S. agriculture for the first time that their food does come from somewhere besides the store.” Walker said repeat participants also gain a better understanding of the factors that influence wheat quality and annual production. For Natasha Ortiz of Bay State Milling, the tour provides a chance to see where the company’s flour begins. “I mostly see it on the finished product side of things, so I’m excited to actually look at a wheat field and learn what the farmers are looking for.” Ortiz said attending the tour helps her better understand wheat quality, yields and production practices.
