Photo credit: U.S. Wheat Associates.
Understanding the relationship between wheat quality and milling performance is an important part of effective decision-making for flour mill executives. The Buhler-KSU Executive Milling (Spanish) course at the IGP Institute at Kansas State University is designed to give business leaders the technical knowledge needed to make more informed purchasing and operational decisions.
The 2026 course brought together 10 milling executives from seven countries at Kansas State University's north campus in Manhattan, Kansas, in mid-August. U.S. Wheat Associates sponsored two participants from South America to attend the Spanish-language program.
Led by Shawn Thiele, milling specialist and IGP associate director, the course is designed for mill owners, directors and managers. It provides a broad understanding of flour milling without requiring participants to become technical specialists. The curriculum covers how wheat characteristics and milling processes affect flour quality and finished product performance while emphasizing concepts that support strategic and operational decisions.
Course topics include wheat classes and quality, grain cleaning and conditioning, milling fundamentals, quality control and the effects of raw material selection on finished products. Participants also receive practical exposure at the Hal Ross Flour Mill to reinforce classroom instruction.
The two U.S. Wheat-sponsored participants represented Chile and Colombia, two important South American markets for U.S. wheat.
Chile combines domestic wheat production with substantial imports, purchasing between 1.0 million and 1.3 million metric tons of wheat annually. The United States accounts for about 30% to 40% of the country's wheat import market. The Chilean participant was a general manager from one of the country's leading flour milling groups who sought to expand his understanding of wheat quality and milling processes.
Colombia is more dependent on imported wheat, purchasing nearly 1.9 million metric tons annually. U.S. wheat exports to Colombia have increased significantly in recent years. The Colombian participant is the new general manager of the country's largest flour milling group and came to the position from another industry, relying on an experienced technical team to build his knowledge of wheat milling.
The course emphasized the importance of understanding wheat characteristics when making purchasing and blending decisions. Stronger knowledge of wheat quality can help mill executives evaluate wheat based on both price and quality attributes and select raw materials suited to specific applications and products.
The training also highlights the importance of consistent wheat quality and effective blending strategies in meeting customer requirements. For markets such as Chile and Colombia, executive-level knowledge of wheat quality, flour functionality and milling fundamentals can support more effective purchasing decisions and improve the value of wheat used in milling operations.
U.S. Wheat Associates plans to continue working with the two participants through on-site technical support and consulting, along with information about U.S. wheat production and market opportunities. The organization aims to support decision-making around wheat purchasing and blending while demonstrating the performance and economic advantages of U.S. wheat classes.
Source: U.S. Wheat Associates, "KSU Executive Milling Course Helps Strengthen U.S. Wheat Demand in South America"