Issue 33
January 2001

Copyright
Prairie Grains Magazine
January 2001

Impressions from the Prairie Grains Conference

The Prairie Grains Conference just concluded its most successful run ever in Fargo, attracting several hundred producers from Minnesota and North Dakota. Look for conference highlights in the next issue of Prairie Grains. In the meantime, however, the immediate afterglow of the conference brings some lasting themes, thoughts and impressions:

•  Producers remain as thirsty as ever for marketing information, and insight on when to pull the sales trigger.

•  Women are interested in learning more about marketing too—and can often be better at it than men.

•  The fluctuation of currencies in different countries can have a big impact on our ability to export grain.

•  Research is a key to improving our production sector.

•  The Internet is becoming an everyday tool for on-farm information.

•  There is reason for more optimism in the wheat market in 2001.

•  With no political party having a clear mandate, Capital Hill lawmakers are already looking to the elections in 2002— with the rural vote as important as ever.

•  Preparing for glyphosate and imazamox resistant wheat is one of the top priorities for the U.S. grain industry within the next five years.

•  Our associations focus on issues and depend on memberships, but it’s our friendships and interaction with others in our industry that ultimately makes our involvement enjoyable and meaningful.

“Association Perspectives” represents the views of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association, South Dakota Wheat Inc., Minnesota Barley Growers Association, and the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, which publishes Prairie Grains along with the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council.