A delegation of five Peruvian milling executives — representing more than 85 percent of Peru’s total milling capacity — spent three days touring South Dakota wheat fields, farms, and grain facilities in late June, part of a U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) trade team visit aimed at building long-term relationships between South Dakota wheat producers and one of Latin America’s largest wheat-importing countries.
The group, hosted by the South Dakota Wheat Commission, arrived in Pierre on June 28, 2026, and spent the following two days learning firsthand how hard red spring wheat (HRS) and hard red winter (HRW) wheat are grown, handled, and shipped in the U.S. The visit included a HRS wheat variety plot tour hosted by South Dakota State University near Gettysburg, a stop at Cronin Farms, a tour of the Oahe Grain elevator, and a visit to the Sioux Nation Seed processing facility in Fort Pierre. Before flying on to Montana, the group also took in some South Dakota scenery, with stops at Wall Drug and Mount Rushmore.
The trip was organized through USW, the export market development organization that represents the interests of U.S. wheat growers overseas, and was led by Miguel Galdos, USW Regional Director for South America, who works out of the organization’s Santiago, Chile office. Galdos said the makeup of the group made this trip especially significant.
“This team represented more than 85 percent of the total milling capacity of the Peruvian milling industry,” Galdos said. “For several of the people on this trip, it was the first time they had ever stood in a wheat field — and they have been buying millions of dollars of wheat every year. Seeing where and how that wheat is grown changes the way they think about it.”
The delegation included representatives from Peru’s largest flour miller, a Peruvian pasta and cookie manufacturer, and several other family-owned Peruvian milling companies. Galdos said many of the visitors were young professionals who will soon be making purchasing decisions for their companies.
Galdos said trust built through in-person visits like this one is what ultimately drives sales.
“All business in South America is based on confidence,” Galdos said. “You can give an excellent price to any milling company in Peru, but if they have not had the opportunity to shake your hand, they are not going to buy a dollar from you. It is important for our customers to see firsthand how wheat is produced, and by whom. These are not multinational corporations — they are families. One of the most important goals for a U.S. wheat farmer is to leave a better farm, better land, for the next generation, and that is something our customers remember.”
Peru imports the vast majority of the wheat it uses, since the country’s mountainous terrain leaves little land suitable for growing wheat domestically. Galdos said Peru imports close to 2.2 million metric tons (MMT) (80.0 million bushels) of wheat annually. Last year, the U.S. supplied about 300,000 MT (11.0 million bushels) of that total — worth more than $85 million — for roughly a 17 percent market share. Canada currently holds the largest share of the Peruvian market, but Galdos said U.S. wheat has been steadily gaining ground, in part because of trade missions like this one.
About 25 percent of the wheat grown in South Dakota is exported, so international relationships like these matter directly to South Dakota producers. Jon Kleinjan, executive director of the South Dakota Wheat Commission, said South Dakota is a valuable stop for a trade team like this one because it’s one of the few places buyers can see two major U.S. wheat classes in a single trip.
“South Dakota is one of the few states where a trade team can tour both HRW and HRS wheat country in the same trip,” Kleinjan said. “That gave this group a much fuller picture of what U.S. wheat production really looks like, from the fields to the farmers to the elevators that move it to market. We may not always be the origin point for what they end up buying, but every relationship we build here helps sell U.S. wheat as a whole. A rising tide lifts all ships, and we’re proud to be part of that team.”
Galdos said the group left South Dakota and Montana with a much clearer picture of U.S. wheat quality — including the moisture content advantage U.S. wheat holds over Canadian wheat, something buyers factor directly into their purchasing decisions. He said the response from the group since returning home has already been encouraging, with buyers following up to ask about dark northern spring wheat specifications and pricing.
“We will continue doing our best in South America to position U.S. wheat as the best source of wheat for buyers in the region,” Galdos said. “We are proud to represent the interests of U.S. wheat farmers in this part of the world.”
Peruvian milling executives tour Cronin Farms near Gettysburg, S.D., with U.S. Wheat Associates and South Dakota Wheat Commission staff on June 29, as part of a trade team visit to learn about South Dakota wheat production.
Courtesy photo.
Dr. Karl Glover, South Dakota State University professor and hard red spring wheat breeder, walks members of the Peruvian trade delegation through an SDSU variety plot near Gettysburg, S.D., on June 29, giving the group a firsthand look at the hard red spring wheat varieties grown in South Dakota.
Courtesy photo.
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