New Leadership for Wheat’s Next Chapter - WOYM

Wheat's On Your Mind

Mike Spier, the new president and CEO of U.S. Wheat Associates, joins Aaron Harries and Justin Gilpin to talk about the relationships, strategy, and boots-on-the-ground work behind U.S. wheat exports. Spier shares how his career took him from the West Coast grain trade to overseas posts in Egypt, the Philippines, and Singapore, and how those experiences shaped his view of global wheat demand, trade shifts, and customer trust. The conversation covers strong hard red winter wheat export sales, the rise of private flour mills in markets like Egypt and Indonesia, new opportunities in places such as Bangladesh and Latin America, and how added USDA export promotion funding can help U.S. Wheat Associates expand staff, technical support, and market development. It is a timely look at why long-term relationships, farmer voices, and smart investment still matter in an increasingly competitive global wheat market. Top 10 takeaways Mike Spier brings deep overseas and merchandising experience into the top U.S. Wheat Associates role. U.S. Wheat’s long-term relationships remain one of its biggest competitive advantages. Global wheat trade has shifted from government buying toward privatized milling and more technical engagement. Hard red winter wheat has been a major driver of improved export sales this marketing year. Increased USDA promotion funding gives U.S. Wheat room to expand staff and try more ambitious market-development efforts. Bangladesh stands out as a meaningful growth market for U.S. wheat. U.S. Wheat publicly announced a multiyear 700,000-metric-ton annual commitment. Consumer-facing campaigns may become more important as wheat misinformation spreads online. Logistics still matter: freight, rail competition, and landed cost all shape whether U.S. wheat wins business. Sustainability matters to buyers, but wheat customers often want credible data before they want formal certification. Farmer voices are still powerful in export markets because customers trust firsthand production perspectives. Detailed Timestamped Rundown 00:02–00:46 00:46–01:55 01:55–02:44 02:44–03:09 02:57–03:12 03:12–05:22 05:22–07:25 07:25–09:13 09:13–10:55 10:55–12:59 12:59–14:31 14:31–15:33 15:13–16:18 16:18–18:14 18:14–20:21 20:21–21:45 21:45–23:49 23:49–24:53 24:53–25:54 Kansas Wheat WheatsOnYorMind.com