ROYAL CITY, WASH. — Cascade Milling, a division of Cascade Organic Flour, L.L.C., said it plans to double organic wheat acreage to 5,000 irrigated acres in the Columbia Basin of central Washington by 2018. The increase in acreage will allow Cascade Organic Flour to produce 30 million lbs of whole wheat organic flour from its own organic wheat production in less than two years, according to the company.
Founded in February 2015, Cascade Organic Flour is a family-owned, vertically integrated operation that grows several thousand acres of organic wheat and other crops near the Columbia river in central Washington, and its mill (near the company’s farm in the Columbia Basin) produces several million lbs of organic flour per year.
“We are seeing tremendous interest in our ‘Farm to Table’ organic wheat flour program, as consumers want to know where the flour in their bread and other baked goods comes from, and that it is healthy and natural,” said Justin Brown, owner and president of Cascade Organic Flour.
In mid-December, Denver-based Ardent Mills unveiled a new organic initiative committed to helping U.S. wheat growers double organic wheat acres by 2019. As part of its initiative, Ardent is providing farmers with access to direct support services, workshops and long-term contracts for transitional and organic wheat bushels. Cascade Milling’s initiative is separate from Ardent Mill’s program.