The Michigan Wheat Program (MWP), the state’s wheat check-off program was approved by the state’s wheat farmers in July 2011. The Michigan Wheat Program is established under PA 232, 1965, the Agricultural Commodities Marketing Act.
The MWP will benefit the state’s 8,000 wheat farmers residing in more than 50 counties who annually plant more than 500,000 acres. Those acres produce a 40 million bushel crop with cash farm receipts of more than $200 million.
All red and white winter wheat and seed wheat grown in Michigan and sold is to be checked-off, or assessed. Each bushel shall be assessed only once and the assessment comes out of the payment to the farmer, as the farmers voted in the mandatory assessment program.
The funds collected are being used for research, production, education, market development and promotion of Michigan wheat.
Similar to other check-off programs, the MWP, is approved by a vote every five years. At the end of the five years, the program will go back to a vote of the state’s wheat farmers to decide whether or not their money was well spent and the industry moved forward. Currently the program is approved through August 2026.