Issue 90
Prairie Grains

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

Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine
February 2008

Association Perspectives

2008 State Wheat Policy Resolutions

Following are new and notable resolutions from the wheat/grain associations in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. The National Association of Wheat Growers resolutions can be found under ‘issues’ online at www.wheatworld.org.

Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers

Complete resolutions are online: www.smallgrains.org

The Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers...

  • Supports biotechnology and encourages millers, bakers, and consumers to accept the use of biotechnology to improve wheat production and wheat end use qualities. (2006)
  • Supports the use of renewable energy i.e. bio-diesel, ethanol, wind, and their byproducts.
  • Opposes state and local level regulation or labeling of biotech-derived products
  • Supports removal of the restrictions on biotech wheat deliveries from their Spring Wheat contract specifications of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. (2007 JK)
  • Supports the continuation of the current farm bill structure with adjustments to increase the wheat loan rate and target price while maintaining the direct payment level. (2006)
  • Supports adding a baseline energy title to the new Farm Bill. (2006)
  • Supports increasing the renewable fuels standard in the energy bill. (2006)
  • Opposes changing the commodity loan program from non-recourse to recourse loan. (2007 BH)
  • Supports the establishment of a wheat industry and consumer alliance that increases productivity and crop quality through long term research.
  • Supports the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council’s research programs and its mandatory non-refundable check-off.
  • Supports a legislative initiative to increase base funding by $10 million for critical agricultural research programs and agricultural extension programs at the  University of Minnesota, College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources.
  • Supports developing a regional winter wheat breeding program jointly funded by the State of North Dakota and the State of Minnesota and other potential funding sources. (2007 RM)
  • Supports the adoption of incentives in the new farm bill that encourages growers to plant winter wheat in the prairie pothole region to help increase the nesting success of the U.S. duck populations. (2006)
  • Opposes permanent easements on agricultural land.
  • Opposes new taxes, surcharges or fees that decrease net farm income and supports tax incentives that increase net farm income.

2008 MAWG Board of Directors -- Bryan Hest, President, Perley; Scott Swenson, First Vice President, Elbow Lake; Chad Anvinson, Second Vice President, East Grand Forks; Melissa Petry, Ada; Garner Eeg, Greenbush; Erik Younggren, Hallock; Paul Johnson, Hallock.

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North Dakota Grain Growers Association

Complete resolutions are online:
www.ndgga.com/ndgga/resolutions.htm

The North Dakota Grains Growers Association...

  • Supports a permanent LDP payment limitation of not less than $150,000 per producer.
  • Supports requiring the conservation section of the new farm bill to fund a wildlife support payment based on tillable acres. Payment would offset damages due to the increase in wildlife caused by the goal of current conservation legislation to increase wildlife.
  • Opposes the prioritizing of the most productive farmland highest in CRP contracts, and urges the USDA to focus the program on Highly Erodible Land as was initially intended of the program.
  • Urges the Administration to continue to monitor foreign subsidy levels to ensure that they remain equitable and to utilize EEP and other export programs like PL480, GSM 102 and 103 to whatever level necessary to move our production and to maintain our markets.
  • Supports the continuation of a viable federal crop insurance program addressing continuation of Prevented Plant option; APH is not affected by reported prevented plant acres; and 85% payment level, at an affordable rate.
  • Supports the position of NBGA on the continuation of option B and related risk management for Barley.
  • Supports the empowerment of the PSC towards equitable grain sampling, DON testing standards, and falling numbers .
  • Supports legislation and incentives to enable ethanol research, information, development and production.
  • Recognizing that quality grain has great potential for market growth and price potential, NDGGA urges the NDSU Experiment Station and NDSURF to develop a unified selection criterion placing quality and yield as top priorities in their breeding programs and future releases.
  • Supports an increase in the investment in, and research of, biotechnology enhanced wheat and barley products at NDSU.
  • Shall urge the EPA to speed the process of crop protection registrations.
  • Urges EPA to grant a Section 3 label for Tebuconazole in wheat and that Bayer CropScience obtain a Section 3 label for Prosaro.
  • Supports changing IRS restrictions for farm trucks from 7500 miles to 15,000 miles. 2007
  • Supports research, development, and the advancement of Biotechnology for the opportunity it provides, consumers, processors, and production agriculture, and encourages the education, promotion, registration, and customer acceptance of genetically enhanced wheat worldwide.
  • Opposes to a moratorium on the research and development of Biotech crops.

2008 NDGGA Board of Directors -- Byron Richard, President, Belfield; Terry Weckerly, 1st Vice President, Hurdsfield; Brad Thykeson, 2nd Vice President, Portland; Greg Nelson, Secretary/ Treasurer, Litchville; Mark Anderson, Regent; Keith Neshem, Berthold; Doyle Lentz, Rolla; Bob Bahm, Minot; Jay Elkin, Taylor; Terry Wanzek, Jamestown; Mike Martin, Forbes; Bob Wisness, Watford City.

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Montana Grain Growers Association

Complete resolutions online: www.mgga.org/mgga/res.html

The Montana Grain Growers Association...

  • Supports including spring planted 2007 crops in the 2005/2006 ad hoc disaster assistance legislation.
  • Supports NAWG’s proposed resolution regarding a target price of $5.29 and a direct payment of $1.19 per bushel of wheat.
  • Supports eliminating barriers and any U.S. import tariffs which restrict US ag producers’ access to world wide crop inputs.
  • Endorses the joint NAWG/US Wheat Biotechnology Position Statement with the addition to the end of position #2; ‘Until such acceptance has been received, no release of biotechnology-derived wheat and barley shall occur.’
  • Supports research aimed at improving and increasing the end uses of Montana wheat and barley, including research utilizing ag biotechnology.
  • Supports research for higher value crops including industrial and non-food uses.
  • Supports the Alliance for Rail Competition and their efforts to achieve increased rail competition for all shippers.
  • Supports legislation to create ‘final offer arbitration’ to allow shippers to gain more equitable rail rates.
  • Recognizes that economic development in Montana includes strengthening the financial conditions of farm and ranch operations through ownership in value added enterprises. Therefore MGGA supports programs that promote and enable farm and ranch ownership of value added enterprises.

2008 Montana Grain Growers Executive Board -- Will Roehm, President Great Falls; Bing Von Bergen, Vice-President, Moccasin; Keven Bradley, Treasurer, Cut Bank; Gordon Stoner, Secretary, Outlook.