Prairie Grains April 1998 Wheat Action Plan

Issue 13
April 1998
"Wheat Action Plan" Developed to Address Price

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Prairie Grains is the
official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain
Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat,
Inc., and the
Minnesota Barley
Growers Association.

Leaders of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, and South Dakota Wheat Inc. traveled to Washington, D.C. last month to discuss key issues with federal lawmakers, including a wheat price that has declined from the last marketing year.

Wheat leaders (from left) Tom Anderson, Ron Anderson, Tim Dufault, Gaylen Affield, and Lyle Christianson, all from Minnesota, visiting with Senator Rod Grams' ag aide Linda Bosse, in Washington, D.C. Wheat leaders from ND and SD were also on Capitol Hill to discuss key issues with lawmakers, including wheat and barley trade, federal funding for scab research, federal crop insurance problems, and the Northern Valley farm crisis.
While in Washington, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and its 23 state wheat association presidents met with USDA Secretary Dan Glickman and delivered a "Wheat Action Plan."
The Plan addresses declining wheat prices and farm income, and presented strategies the USDA must pursue to strengthen market prices and export opportunities for U.S. producers. It emphasizes the aggressive use of export programs, in particular the Export Enhancement Program (EEP), and credit programs like GSM-102/103, and PL 480 Title I.
"The proliferation of unilateral trade sanctions is also hurting the U.S. wheat farmer," says Bill Flory, NAWG president. "The United States is currently sanctioned out of 11 percent of the world wheat market. We need to reexamine the use of sanctions in U.S. foreign policy to allow more flexibility in exporting food and medicine to restricted countries. Greater market access will improve U.S. competitiveness in relation to state trading enterprises (such as Canada, which exports wheat to Cuba) who take advantage of these sanctions and hurt American farmers."
In the plan, the NAWG urges removing the cap on the marketing loan rate for wheat ($2.58) established in the 1996 Farm Bill. And, extending the maturity of loans beyond the nine-month period provided in the farm bill to provide more time for producers to market their crops, and improve their pricing opportunities. n

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
April 1998

Issue 13 April 1998	"Wheat Action Plan" Developed to Address Price

Library Home E-Mail Back Prairie Grains is the official publication of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, South Dakota Wheat, Inc., and the Minnesota Barley Growers Association.	Leaders of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, and South Dakota Wheat Inc. traveled to Washington, D.C. last month to discuss key issues with federal lawmakers, including a wheat price that has declined from the last marketing year. Wheat leaders (from left) Tom Anderson, Ron Anderson, Tim Dufault, Gaylen Affield, and Lyle Christianson, all from Minnesota, visiting with Senator Rod Grams' ag aide Linda Bosse, in Washington, D.C. Wheat leaders from ND and SD were also on Capitol Hill to discuss key issues with lawmakers, including wheat and barley trade, federal funding for scab research, federal crop insurance problems, and the Northern Valley farm crisis. While in Washington, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and its 23 state wheat association presidents met with USDA Secretary Dan Glickman and delivered a "Wheat Action Plan." The Plan addresses declining wheat prices and farm income, and presented strategies the USDA must pursue to strengthen market prices and export opportunities for U.S. producers. It emphasizes the aggressive use of export programs, in particular the Export Enhancement Program (EEP), and credit programs like GSM-102/103, and PL 480 Title I. "The proliferation of unilateral trade sanctions is also hurting the U.S. wheat farmer," says Bill Flory, NAWG president. "The United States is currently sanctioned out of 11 percent of the world wheat market. We need to reexamine the use of sanctions in U.S. foreign policy to allow more flexibility in exporting food and medicine to restricted countries. Greater market access will improve U.S. competitiveness in relation to state trading enterprises (such as Canada, which exports wheat to Cuba) who take advantage of these sanctions and hurt American farmers." In the plan, the NAWG urges removing the cap on the marketing loan rate for wheat ($2.58) established in the 1996 Farm Bill. And, extending the maturity of loans beyond the nine-month period provided in the farm bill to provide more time for producers to market their crops, and improve their pricing opportunities. n
Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine April 1998

"Wheat Action Plan" Developed to Address Price

Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine April 1998

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
April 1998