Wheat Check-off Moving to Two Cents per Bushel on July 1

By: Erica Olson

Posted: May 1, 2025

The check-off assessment level for wheat will move to two cents per bushel on July 1, 2025. This is an increase from the current level of one and one-half cents, which has been the level since 2005. The legislation regarding the increase in the check-off was Senate Bill 2161, and it also included a check-off increase for barley. Sponsors of the legislation included Senator Kessel, Representative Brandenberg, Representative Kempenich, Senator Wanzek and Senator Weber. It passed both chambers of the 69th Legislative Assembly with near unanimous support.

The Board of the North Dakota Wheat Commission had been discussing the need for an increase in the check-off since early 2023, due to inflationary pressures on core program areas, and the need to fund expanding research needs for wheat, as well as both international and domestic market development needs. This was a well vetted decision, as making diligent use of the state’s wheat producer’s investment through the check-off has always been a priority for the Board. The fact that the NDWC has been able to fund programs at the current check-off level for 20 years reflects conservative budget approaches over the years. Increasing wheat yields have also helped to offset lower wheat acres compared to 20 years ago. On a 50 bushel wheat yield, the additional check-off investment amounts to $0.25/acre. NDWC Chairman Jim Pellman of McClusky says that, “We as wheat producers need to invest in our own industry to build the best future. We need to maintain wheat’s position as one of the leading crops in the state, and the enviable reputation of North Dakota wheat on the world market as one that is considered premium value by customers. It has brought significant economic benefit to both producers and the larger state economy over the years, and we are optimistic about its future, if we are in a position to address the emerging challenges.”

The formal decision to pursue a check-off increase was made just prior to this past Legislative Session, after seeking input and support from the producer elected county representatives across the state, and producer organizations that represent wheat and durum. There was overwhelming support based on the expanding research needs in wheat, such as wheat stem sawfly, low pH soils, ongoing disease and pest issues; and ensuring our public wheat breeding programs have the resources to enhance genetic selection, screening processes, and variety testing plots, just to name a few. It is clear that the North Dakota landscape has evolved and changed significantly in the past decade, with notably more crop competition for acres. Vice Chairman Mark Birdsall of Berthold, says “wheat is still a dominant crop on my farming operation and seed business, and accounts for nearly 30% of the state’s crop acres, but there is no question that multiple crops are becoming common on most farming operations. Crop rotation is a good thing, with cross-crop benefits for not only soil, disease and weed issues, but the whole farming operation. We want wheat to be a profitable crop in that mix, and having the resources to expand investment in our public wheat breeding programs, as well as germplasm exploration for better disease and insect resistant traits in both wheat and durum, which benefits all breeding programs, is key to that effort. In addition, there are new technologies and breeding tools becoming available to wheat. North Dakota wheat growers need to be a part of that.”

The core program areas of the NDWC annual budget are international market development, research, domestic promotion, domestic and trade policy, and producer education and outreach. Market development and research each account for about one-third of the budget, with the remaining one-third split between the other areas. Board members Scott Huso of Aneta, and Aaron Kjelland of Park River have been directly involved with organizations such as the Wheat Foods Council, and customer education and training entities such as the Northern Crops Institute in Fargo, and the Wheat Marketing Center in Portland. They know the value of customer and consumer education, and that field of need has accelerated in recent years, in part due to the proliferation of world competition, and false narratives about wheat and farming practices. In his testimony before Legislative committee members, Huso cited the need for expanded domestic marketing efforts to promote the high quality hard red spring grown right here in North Dakota with U.S. milling and baking companies, as well as in the South Asia region where export growth potential is most promising. In his testimony, Kjelland explained that, “Fad diets that eliminate some wheat food consumption, misinformation on wheat breeding and production practices, consumer perceptions about chemical use in farming, and perceptions of biotech crops and food issues are topics we are constantly battling.” The increased check-off level will be used to amplify efforts in this area and promote North Dakota grown wheat and durum in the right, positive light with U.S. consumers.

The wheat industry in the state has been a tremendous economic engine over the years for producers, the allied industries that provide inputs, market and transport the crop, and the state economy. “While the wheat landscape in the state does not look the same as it did 20 years ago, the value of investing in research, promotion and market development remains just as critically important, if not more, due to the heightened risk margins in farming, the proliferation of social media news, and more intense world competition,” Pellman explains. The new check-off level will help ensure the critical needs of North Dakota wheat producers can be addressed going forward.