March 11, 2008 Hearing in front of Minnesota’s Committee on  Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs - Finance Division,  Chair: Rep. Al Juhnke: The Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers (MAWG) teamed up with Ducks Unlimited (DU) to testify on the benefits of winter wheat to both wheat producers and the nesting success of ground nesting birds, such as ducks. Bryan Hest, a Perley, Minnesota producer and President of MAWG, testified on the trend for winter wheat to have higher yields than spring wheat and the increasing number of acres in the region. Blake Vander Vorst, DU Regional Agronomist, testified on the conservation benefits of winter wheat as well as its yield limiting factors that he is so familiar with because of his many years of working with growers to improve the profitability of their winter wheat crop. Both Hest and Vander Vorst testified on the need for a regional winter wheat breeder and encouraged the Minnesota Legislature to consider working with North Dakota and Minnesota growers to help fund a joint breeder position.