Charlie Bumgarner and his wife Karla farm in the Great Falls area. They have raised four children, one of whom is currently a part of the operation and is the fourth generation on the family farm. Wheat, barley, chickpeas, green peas, lentils and hay are the main crops that are produced by the Bumgarners.
Charlie was recently appointed by Governor Bullock to serve on the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee. He also belongs to the Montana Grain Growers Association and served on its executive board for the past five years. He represented Montana at the National Association of Wheat Growers where he chaired the Joint International Trade Committee comprised of members from both NAWG and US Wheat Associates.
Regarding the Wheat Marketing Center, Charlie calls WMC “a great tool for marketing high quality U.S. wheat to customers all around the world. The facilities are available for the millers, bakers, and other countries to come and see the quality in different end products…using their desired blends.” He further stated that visiting WMC “gives us as producers a chance to know what our buyers need and what possible improvements can be made with our breeding programs.”