Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays is talking with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission’s Mike Schulte about working with influencers to promote Oklahoma’s wheat and upcoming events relating to Oklahoma’s wheat industry.
“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.”
At the Registered Dieticians seminar, Schulte said influencers had the chance to learn more about how Oklahoma’s farmers produce a healthy and safe product for consumers. Schulte said attendees also learned about the health benefits of wheat regarding high fiber and high antioxidants in new varieties.
“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 Chisolm Trail Milling in Enid as well as Shawnee Mills in Shawnee, Oklahoma,” Schulte said.
Schulte also talked about the 4-H Parent Volunteer Conference and Pre-Conference which was held at OSU’s Food and Agricultural Products Center (FAPC). The goal of the workshop was to better prepare parents, volunteers, and Extension staff to engage and retain 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 17th,” Schulte said. “If you want to look at the rules for that and if 4-H and FFA students want to submit their ten-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 portion of the competition, Schulte said samples are taken to OSU’s FAPC for milling and baking analysis, and then the final awards will be given out on December 4th at the Junior Wheat Show Banquet. Schulte added there will be over $15,000 worth of scholarships available for the top five entrees on the 4-H and FFA sides.
“It really gives students a plethora of opportunities to see that maybe they don’t have to be in the field only growing the wheat and that there are other career opportunities that exist in agriculture,” Schulte said.
