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On February 28, 2009, Erik Younggren, Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers (MAWG) director and Hallock, MN farmer, was
elected National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) Secretary / Treasurer during the 2009 Commodity Classic, held in Grapevine, Texas. Younggren is only the second Minnesota wheat producer to hold an officer
position with the NAWG. Don Loeslie, Warren, Minnesota farmer was the first Minnesota wheat leader to be elected as an officer of NAWG in 1981.
“I think it is important to get some leadership from Minnesota,” Younggren says.
“There are lots of challenges in NAWG and I want to be involved in how the future of this industry moves forward.”
Younggren thinks it will be important to work with Congress and President Obama’s administration to preserve
the farm safety net and to get the 2008 Farm Bill implemented as Congress intended. He sees many longer term issues facing wheat growers. They include improvements in crop insurance and transportation policy. Other
important issues will continue to be wheat’s competitiveness here in the U.S. and internationally, biotech wheat, cap and trade carbon legislation and the next farm bill. Younggren is looking forward to being
involved with many of these issues important to wheat growers.
Younggren has been involved with the NAWG in the past, participating in NAWG’s Strategic Planning process
recently, as well as the Budget Committee, Domestic and Trade Policy Committee, Crop Insurance Sub-committee, and the Operating and Planning Committee.
“I am excited to represent Minnesota and to bring leadership back to this area,” says Younggren. “NAWG is an
organization that works on national policies that impact wheat growers throughout its member states and I look forward to being a part of the process.”
At the same NAWG meeting in Grapevine, Texas, Oregon wheat producer Karl Scronce was elected President, Kansas
farmer Jerry McReynolds was elected first vice president and Wayne Hurst from Idaho is the second vice-president.
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