THE MISSION OF THE OREGON WHEAT FOUNDATION

To responsibly manage and grow the Foundation assets while promoting the Oregon wheat industry by providing funding for education and the welfare of our communities.

The Oregon Wheat Foundation was formed in 1980 by the Oregon Wheat Growers League leadership to raise funds for specific projects.

The most popular projects and fundraisers of the Foundation are:

• Scholarship Program – providing higher education assistance to high school seniors of wheat producing families/employers;
• Bushels for Betsy – farmers helping to feed Oregon’s hungry;
• Future Leaders of Ag (FLAG) – sending a young delegate to Washington D.C. each year with the OWGL leadership team.
• OWF Golf Scramble – benefits scholarships, programs and projects, including contributions to the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, the Oregon Century Farms and Ranches Program, and more.
• Auction & Wine Pull – proceeds of the annual Auction and Wine Pull events to benefit scholarships, programs and projects.
  • The Auction: This annual event falls inside the Tri-State Grain Growers Convention held in the fall each year. Oregon, Washington and Idaho Foundations host combined oral and silent auctions as the highlight of the Tri-State gala event. The proceeds are split to the appropriate state foundation or association. Businesses, organizations and individuals generously donate new items and services for the Silent and Oral Auction held during the final evening gala of the convention. Proceeds of the annual Auction and Wine Pull benefit OWF scholarships, programs and projects. The Foundation is grateful to the many auction and wine pull contributors (donors and purchasers).

    
    
  • The Wine Pull is an additional ‘fun’draiser held in conjunction with the auctions. Wine donated or purchased with a discount by vineyards and wineries throughout Oregon and Washington is purchased by the bottle (sight unseen) by convention attendees. At the close of the silent auction, purchasers can ‘pull’ a random bottle of wine from the collection to see what they have won.

Future Leaders of Agriculture Program (FLAG)
The Foundation sponsors one wheat producer to attend the annual winter USW/National Association of Wheat Growers meeting and Hill day visits with the Oregon Wheat Growers League. This sponsorship allows the next generation of wheat producer leadership to become acquainted with the policy and legislative process in the nation’s capital and visit with Oregon legislators and federal agency representatives firsthand.

Warren E. Kronstad Crop Science Memorial Graduate Fellowship
Established in honor of former OSU Distinguished Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics Dr. Warren E. Kronstad, the Kronstad Fellowships support graduate student work and interaction between the Wheat Breeding Program at Oregon State University and the CIMMYT research facility in Mexico.

Bushels for Betsy
Since 2007, the Oregon Wheat Foundation’s Bushels for Betsy Program, has partnered with Farmers Ending Hunger to join the fight against hunger in Oregon.

Scholarship Program
The Annual Auction & Wine Pull held in conjunction with the Tri-State Grain Growers Convention is the major fundraiser of the year for the scholarship program.

Other Grants
The Annual OWF Golf Scramble is held in the spring to benefit all Foundation projects, including grants to the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation (AITC), Century Farms and Ranches Program, and others as needed.