Gilliam County: On The Columbia Plateau

Gilliam County is a major wheat producing Columbia Plateau region along the Columbia River.  The population of 1,915 residents is distributed between the communities of Arlington, Condon and farm families dispersed throughout 766,373 wheat and cattle producing acres.  The Gilliam County Wheat Quality Initiative Project is a project anticipated to bring back family-wage jobs to the farming community, which will strengthen the economy of the largest industry in Gilliam County, agriculture.

The Gilliam County Grain Quality Laboratory originated in order to fulfill a need to provide analytical grain services to the Columbia Plateau.  The Gilliam County Grain Quality Laboratory provides support to area farmers with The Gilliam County Grain Identity Preservation Program, a grain segregation program within the Gilliam County Wheat Quality Initiative.

The Gilliam County Grain Identity Preservation Program is an integral part of the added value aspect of grain marketing.  By knowing the specific attributes of the local grain, decisions can be made to determine what characteristics should be used in a segregation and marketing program. The Gilliam County Grain Quality Laboratory can provide the farmer with the information needed before harvest to correctly bin the grain and maintain this segregation during harvest.

The laboratory provides quality control, quality assurance and point of origin to the grain industry, the flour industry and the food industry.

The laboratory currently provides technical support and analysis for: Flour Application Studies, New Product Development, Wheat-marketing Programs, and Other Customer Requirements