Image courtesy of USW.
For more than four decades, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) has partnered with the annual assembly of the Latin American Association of Miller Industrialists (ALIM) as a bridge between U.S. wheat farmers and the millers who utilize their grain. A delegation of USW leadership and farmer-leaders recently celebrated and strengthened these relationships during this November’s conference in Cartagena, Colombia.
“As one of the longest-standing sponsors, we’ve consistently supported the ALIM conference as an important event,” said Mike Spier, USW president and CEO, who led the USW delegation. “The ALIM conference connects USW and U.S. wheat producers with Latin America’s milling industry. For 45 years, this partnership has built trust, shared expertise and supported demand for all classes of U.S. wheat.”
This year’s conference – conducted November 23 to 26, 2025 – brought together more than 200 flour mills and 300 industry contacts from across the region to strengthen relationships, learn about wheat flour consumption trends and address industry challenges. Flour mills from Colombia and Chile, for example, highlighted the need for better consumer education on the health benefits of wheat foods to counter misinformation and boost per capita consumption.
The USW delegation included Spier, USW Vice President of Overseas Operations Brian Liedl, USW Market Analyst Tyllor Ledford, USW Chairman Jim Pellman from North Dakota, USW Secretary-Treasurer Mike Carstensen from Washington, as well as regional USW staff members.
“A strong USW presence at the ALIM conference reinforces the long-term commitment of U.S. wheat farmers to flour millers in Latin America,” Spier said. “This conference was also an opportunity to showcase the work our farmers undertake every year to deliver high-quality wheat that drives value for the world’s millers, bakers and consumers.”
“Being present in a market where demand is expanding allows us to strengthen relationships with millers and industry leaders, showcase the value and reliability of U.S. wheat and reinforce our commitment to supporting their growth.”
Showcasing Quality and Reliability of U.S. Wheat Supplies
This year, Liedl delivered a presentation on world supply and demand and highlighted the quality of U.S. wheat. The conference also allowed USW to highlight emerging trends in the U.S. wheat industry and demonstrate how end-product innovation and quality continue to support growth in this region.
As a further demonstration of this partnership, a major Colombian customer provided breads made with U.S. wheat. The high-quality breads drew praise from participants for their appearance and quality, with many taking extras home afterwards to share with their families and co-workers.
“Colombia was a great place for us to be to show off our high-quality wheat to buyers in the South American market,” Liedl said. “We support and attend these conferences to connect with our customers and remind them about the reliability of the United States as a wheat supplier. These connections also allow us to look for new opportunities to capture the growing demand in South America.”
The location of this year’s conference in Colombia was meaningful as the country represents a dynamic, growing market for U.S. wheat. As of October 23, 2025, Colombia has imported 499,000 MT (18.3 million bushels) of U.S. wheat for the 2025/2026 marketing year, a 77 percent increase over the prior year.
“ALIM is always a learning experience and a chance to meet face-to-face with customers,” Ledford said. “We also get a chance to see what’s going on in the heart of South America, which is a very dynamic and growing region that is becoming more and more important to our industry.”
“We are seeing considerable growth in the region, and we expect even more growth for U.S. wheat exports in the future,” Ledford said. “Our USW staff had many good discussions with leaders in the Latin American milling industry. Our farmer leaders answered questions from those millers and helped put a face on the U.S. wheat industry – something that is very important in this business.”
Expanding Regional Relationships Across Latin America
In addition to South American customers, the conference also included wheat industry leaders from Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and Venezuela. Millers attended from eight countries across these four subregions, including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.
“Since the creation of ALIM, USW’s leadership in Latin America and the Caribbean has led to a longstanding building of trust, confidence and collaboration with buyers across this region,” said Mitch Skalicky, USW regional vice president for the region, based out of the USW Mexico City Office. “With considerable changes in the structure of milling ownership in the Dominican Republic recently, leaders there plan to host the 2026 ALIM assembly in November 2026 in the Dominican Republic, and we will continue to support this important event.”
Read more from USW here.