“Not only does the forum provide information on timely durum related topics, it also provides a platform for the industry and growers to discuss issues that affect the industry as a whole and work together toward common goals,” said NDWC Administrator Neal Fisher. “The connections made at this meeting every year are priceless and provide the necessary link from producer to processor to consumer.”
Many speakers focused their presentations on addressing vomitoxin (DON) levels. The northern plains durum crop is coming through a year of adverse environmental conditions that favored the development of Fusarium head blight or scab and challenged even the most vigilant of growers. North Dakota State University (NDSU) Plant Pathologist Dr. Andrew Friskop highlighted the environmental conditions necessary for scab development and recent field trials evaluating the effectiveness of various control methods. NDSU Food Safety Program Director Dr. Paul Schwarz shared a basic history of the fungal pathogen, including background on how current regulatory DON limits were established. Schwarz spends the majority of his research time working with barley and the brewing industry, which faces many of the same DON challenges as durum growers and end users. Brian Adams, from the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), spoke on DON testing, including efforts to ensure consistent test results across laboratories, methods and locations. FGIS is working on studies to evaluate variables in procedures, such as how the particle size of wheat after grinding for the DON test may affect results.
Though there seem to be no easy answers to reducing DON levels, particularly in years with wet, humid growing conditions during the flowering stage of the durum plant, a great deal of work continues to identify best practices for growers and using technology to find long-term solutions.
Also at the conference, USW Vice President of Policy Dalton Henry appeared on a panel titled “Current and Future Durum Policy” with National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Gordon Stoner and Ward County Farm Service Agency (FSA) Director Grant Buck. Henry highlighted USW’s work overseas and discussed export trends and the role that trade policy plays in facilitating exports of U.S. grown commodities. The panel answered questions about how best to adjust current U.S. farm policy to encourage durum production, possible trade priorities of the next U.S. administration and the need to continue improving market access for U.S. growers and their customers overseas. Other presentations included national pasta consumption trends and supply and demand outlooks for durum and hard red spring wheat.
The 2016 Crop Outlook and International Durum Forum is just one example of a number of meetings this season that involve growers in key discussions about the future of their industry.