History & Accomplishments

Throughout the year, the Whole Grains Council provides a consumer hotline, by phone and email, to answer whole grain questions from the public. We also offer ongoing support to member companies, answering questions about labeling regulations and ingredients; offering marketing suggestions; and using every positive and practical means possible to encourage the creation of more and better whole grain products. The Whole Grains Council continues to spread the word about the health benefits and good taste of whole grains, with scores of media interviews and with many successful programs, including these recent highlights:

The Whole Grain Stamp now in more than 60 countries
In August 2019, the Whole Grain Stamp passed another milestone, as we registered the 13,000th product for use of the Whole Grain Stamp. Check our latest statistics here, on how many products are in how many countries.

Whole Grain Sampling Day — last Wednesday of March every year
Every year, on the last Wednesday in March, we celebrate Whole Grain Sampling Day across the US and even outside the country. It’s a day when everyone focuses on ways to reduce the barriers to having more people try more whole grains. We started this tradition in 2012, and every year the number of partner activities has grown. Recent Sampling Day events have included Facebook contests and Sweepstakes, restaurant BOGOs and gift-card giveaways, online quizzes and education, supermarket samplings and more. Click here to learn more about Whole Grain Sampling Day and how you can get involved. 

Whole Grains Month — every September
Every September is Whole Grains Month. In addition to encouraging companies and consumers to pay attention to the health benefits of whole grains, the Whole Grains Council adds to the fun by having some kind of centerpiece activity. Here’s what we’ve done in recent years:

2021: “The Second Annual Grainie Awards” whole grain challenge
    Our contest attracted 1,100 entries for chances to win whole grain prizes. We selected 62 winners throughout the month.
2020: “The Grainie Awards” whole grain challenge
    We engaged about 2,500 social media followers in a whole grain challenge with chances to win Grainie Award prizes along the way.
2019: “Whole Grains: The World Tour” culinary experience
    We took over 3,000 followers on a culinary tour of whole grain recipes from around the world.
2018: “Whole Grain Deal of the Day” manufacturer specials
    We featured 30 special whole grain deals, one each day.
2017: “Good Grains for a Good Cause” charity give-away
    We brought back this favorite campaign from years past and donated 125 cases of whole grain food to a food bank.
2016: “Spot Whole Grains Away from Home” Instagram contest
    People posted photos of whole grain foods they found in restaurants, airports, and ball games.
2015: “Share the Goodness of Whole Grains” Instagram contest
    People posted photos of delicious whole grains and told how they shared them with others.
2014: “Make the Switch” recipe contest
    Bloggers created whole grain recipes and website visitors voted for their favorites.
2013: “Good Grains for a Good Cause” charity give-away
    People nominated their favorite food charities to win a collection of whole grain foods.
2012: “Deal of the Day” manufacturer specials
    We featured 30 special whole grain deals, one each day.
2011: “Whole Grain Stampede” sweepstakes
    Whole grain lovers told us about their favorite whole grains, and we picked two winners.

Click here to find out more about Whole Grains Month.

2018 Whole Grains Council Conference
In November 2018, we held the WGC’s ninth conference in Seattle, Washington. This conference highlighted contemporary food trends, our increasingly global food economy, and the growing enthusiasm for local grain movements on both the East and West Coasts of the US. Our fascinating speakers also dove into some of the latest scientific research around gut microbes, grain processing, and sprouted grains.

We hold one of our thought-provoking conferences every 18-24 months. Click here to learn about our next conference, or click here to see presentations and videos from past conferences.

WGC becomes partner in the International Whole Grains Initiative
After attending the Vienna Whole Grain Summit in November 2017, the Whole Grains Council signed on as official members of the International Whole Grains Inititative that was born out of the discussions had at the summit. Attendees of the summit identified a set of goals for increasing whole grain intake worldwide and created six working groups to tackle these issues. The WGC is chairing two working groups aimed at advancing consumer education and promoting whole grain consumption worldwide by supporting the development of Public-Private Partnerships and by assembling science-based arguments to counter common grain myths. Overall, this initiative is working to harmonize whole grain definitions worldwide, to provide a better foundation for research, regulation/labeling and manufacturing.

“Whole Grains Away from Home” conference 
In September 2016, we held the WGC’s eighth conference in Chicago, Illinois. Whole grains have made large strides in lunchrooms, grocery stores, and homes, so restaurants and other foodservice establishments are well-positioned to be the next area of whole grain growth. This conference highlighted opportunities and creative solutions for serving and selling whole grains away from home. 

“Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers” conference
In November 2014, we held the WGC’s seventh conference in Boston, Massachusetts. In the last decade, whole grains have broken through many barriers. Understanding of their health benefits has increased; more delicious whole grain products are available on store shelves and in restaurants; dietary guidelines and school food policies now mandate them; and consumer attitudes are positive. This conference detailed how we’ve overcome these barriers — and offered in-depth information on how we can overcome today’s biggest remaining barrier: fads and misinformation that can turn people away from healthy whole grains. 

Whole Grains Challenge 2007-2012
For seven years, we ran an annual event called The Whole Grains Challenge, through which we encouraged foodservice operators in schools, workplaces, health care facilities and restaurants to serve more creative whole grains — and awarded them prizes and recognition when they did. In our final year of the program, we encouraged every US school (public or non-profit private) participating in the National School Lunch Program to participate in the 2012 Whole Grains Challenge – whether they were a “veteran” who had been serving whole grains for a while or a “rookie” who was new to the whole grain world that year. We asked them to send up their stores (and photos) explaining their best tips for successfully serving whole grains in schools – and describing any remaining barriers and challenges they face in implementing whole grains. Two Grand Prize Winners – schools in St Paul, MN and Baker City, OR – were awarded with a Guest Chef Workshop to help staff get inspired with ideas for more whole grain cooking.  The Grand Prize winners and eight additional Top Ten schools also received case upon case of free whole grain foods to serve in their operations. 

We concluded the Whole Grains Challenge program in 2012, when whole grains became mandatory in school food programs, at which time we switched our promotional efforts to Whole Grain Sampling Day (see above).

“Whole Grains on Every Plate” conference 
In October 2012, we held the WGC’s sixth conference in San Antonio, Texas. This event offered fascinating specifics on how we can get more whole grains onto plates around the world, with useful information on consumer attitudes, new ingredients, new research, and successful promotion programs. Timely topics included a review of the new guidelines for school food, the psychology of the consumer, and the gluten-free trend and supporting science.

“Whole Grains – the New Norm” conference
In January 2011, we held the WGC’s fifth conference in Portland, Oregon. The conference celebrated the many foodservice operations, magazines, schools, government policies, and other circumstances where whole grains are now served, depicted, and hailed, automatically, as the norm. Topics included the psychology of social norms, Foodservice trends, worldwide dietary guidelines for whole grains, and so much more.

Whole Grain Forum in Beijing
At the invitation of Chinese nutrition authorities, WGC senior managers traveled to Beijing to assist the Chinese in offering a nation-wide conference on the health benefits, labeling, and regulation of whole grains. In late 2010, China became the 21st country where shoppers can find the Whole Grain Stamp on foods.

2010 Dietary Guidelines endorsed the Whole Grain Stamp approach of 8 grams
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated every five years, and this time around, one change was a clarification of 8 grams of whole grain – the standard pioneered by the Whole Grain Stamp – as the minimum to consider a food as whole grain. New school food regulations in January 2011 echoed this apporach, drawing on the Institute of Medicine’s definition of a “whole grain rich” food as one that contains at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving.