Governor declares July wheat month in Michigan

The proclamation recognizes 8,000 wheat farmers in Michigan who grow and harvest over 380,000 acres

PUBLISHED ON July 18, 2024

LANSING, Mich. — When you bite into a cookie or a graham cracker s’more this summer, you can thank a Michigan wheat farmer — and the state’s milling industry. Wheat is a multimillion-dollar crop in the Great Lakes State, much of it used in cookies, crackers, pretzels, pastries, cereals, pies and cakes.

“Many people think of wheat as being used for bread and pasta, but our Michigan wheat farmers grow winter red and white wheat that are used for many products other than bread and pasta,” said Jody Pollok-Newsom, executive director of the Michigan Wheat Program. “We are also very fortunate that Michigan and the Great Lakes region are home to several millers and food companies that use wheat.”

“Michigan’s diverse food and agriculture industries are a critical part of our economic engine, powered by our farmers and food processors, including our 8,000 wheat farmers across the state,” said Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. “The Whitmer-Gilchrist administration remains committed to and invested in agriculture to ensure our Michigan farmers and agricultural businesses can thrive. Please join Governor Whitmer and me in celebrating our wheat industry all month long.”

In honor of Michigan wheat farmers harvesting the amber waves of grain, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared July as Wheat Month in Michigan. The proclamation recognizes wheat as an industry worth $281 million annually, and 32 million bushels of red and white winter wheat are expected to be harvested this month.

“As a wheat farmer, I’m very proud of our contribution to the state’s economy,” said Jeffery Krohn, chairman of the Michigan Wheat Program. “And because we have farmers in so many counties across the state, these financial contributions are distributed throughout the state.”

The governor’s proclamation recognizes the 8,000 wheat farmers who grow and harvest more than 380,000 acres in 78 counties in the Upper and Lower Peninsulas.

“Whereas…Michigan residents celebrate in partnership with the Michigan Wheat Program, highlighting the importance of Michigan wheat farmers and all millers, food companies and businesses that utilize the state’s abundant wheat crop…I, Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan, hereby proclaim July 2024 as Michigan Wheat Month.”

As your family enjoys a summer picnic outdoors this week and later this summer, recognize the hardworking farmers who harvest over 32 million bushels of wheat in about four weeks, protecting the environment and preserving farmland for generations to come.

— Michigan Wheat Program