Wheat Foods Council prepares for summer strategy meetings

From engaging top chefs in an immersive dive into the world of wheat to summer strategy meetings, the Wheat Foods Council (WFC) continues to champion wheat-based foods, as it has done for more than five decades. 

“The WFC brings together all of the different industries connected with wheat,” said Cindy Falk, Kansas Wheat nutrition educator. “Millers, bakers and more are all members, so this organization is where folks can come get a really good perspective about what is going on in the world of wheat from the farm to the table and everywhere in between.” 

Wheat producers across the country joined together in 1972 to create the WFC as a national organization to promote the entire category of wheat-based foods, including baked goods, cereal, crackers, pasta, sweet goods and tortillas. Since then, the organization has established itself as a source of science-based information on wheat and grain foods nutrition. 

Today, the WFC uniquely remains an organization whose membership encompasses the entire wheat foods value chain. Kansas Wheat is a member, along with grain producers, millers, baking suppliers, life science companies and cereal manufacturers. Together, the WFC stays true to its original mission — to help increase the awareness of dietary grains as an essential component of a healthful diet.  

To do so, the Council develops sound nutritional, educational and promotional programs that reach health and nutrition professionals, opinion leaders, media and consumers. The organization works with a wide swath of key audiences, including health and nutrition professionals, educators, supermarket and retail dietitians, health-conscious consumers, media, chefs and cooks and personal trainers. 

One recent example of these efforts was a chef-focused event in April 2025, when the WFC hosted 11 prominent, high-volume chefs for an in-depth look into the wheat industry at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California. The experience included a tour of a working flour mill, educational sessions on wheat varieties, production and growing region, hands-on demonstrations of a variety of techniques and doughs, guest lectures and more.

Attendees included culinary and research and development leads from major foodservice operators and suppliers. The event culminated with a culinary challenge, where teams of chefs used their creativity and newfound knowledge to develop innovative menu items for the morning and afternoon dayparts - all centered around wheat. The WFC plans to maintain ongoing connections with these chefs, monitoring their progress and offering continued support to ensure successful menu integration and increased wheat usage. 

This successful event adds to the WFC’s decades of achievements. Now, the organization is turning its sights to the future during the upcoming WFC summer board meeting, scheduled for June 17 to 19, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This meeting will serve as a forum to review the previous fiscal year's marketing program, analyze current industry health and wellness trends and formulate planning recommendations for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. A significant discussion will also focus on the future direction of the WFC, strategizing how best to continue its mission in an evolving landscape.

Falk will help provide context to the discussion with a presentation highlighting 20 significant events in the organization’s history, spanning from the creation of the WFC to the latest in educational resources and research. She is also bringing along a display of historical items and educational materials, including posters, pamphlets, books, swag and more. 

“For more than five decades, the WFC has been a steadfast voice supporting the wheat industry, ensuring its vital role in people’s daily lives,” Falk said. “This continued work is crucial, and this organization is a place where the entire industry comes together for a shared vision.” 

Learn more about the Wheat Foods Council at wheatfoods.org. 

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Written by Julia Debes for Kansas Wheat