More Wheat Industry Conference Highlights

2002-2003 NAWG Officers Named
At the NAWG Board meeting during the Wheat Industry Conference, NAWG’s officers for 2002-2003 were installed, with Gary Broyles, Montana, as president; Tommy Womack, Texas, first vice president; Mark Gage, of Page, N.D., second vice president; and Sherman Reese, Oregon, secretary/treasurer. Dusty Tallman, Colorado, is immediate past president.

Combest Named Wheat Industry Leader of the Year
The NAWG awarded Congressman Larry Combest as 2002 Wheat Industry Leader of the year. As the industry’s highest legislative honor, the award is given annually to one Member of Congress by the National Association of Wheat Growers, U.S. Wheat Associates and the Wheat Export Trade Education Committee.  Combest is Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and represents the 19th District of Texas. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1984.

NAWG Considers 2002 Resolutions, Goals
At the Wheat Industry Conference, NAWG policy committees considered policy resolutions and changes for 2002.

Domestic Policy chair Allan Skogen, a Valley City, N.D. producer said that the setting of policy objectives this year was primarily a reaffirmation of NAWG’s current policy. In one new resolution, NAWG urged that U.S. wheat be used for food aid distribution to combat terrorism, wherever possible or practical.

Dean Stoskopf of Kansas, chair of the Environmental Policy Committee, said that the NAWG affirmed its commitment to the adoption of conservation programs, but that the funding of conservation programs should not come at the expense of commodity support programs.

Mike Bruer, chair of the NAWG’s Research and Value-Added Committee, from Alberta, Minn., said that the NAWG hopes to find funding for a wheat research coordinator. The International Policy Committee spent considerable time debating concerns relating to biotechnology. Joe Westoff of Colorado, committee chair, emphasized the organization’s concern that the development of markets for biotech crops include concern for customer acceptance, adding that the decision to go forth with the technology should be a cooperative effort among consumers, producers, agribusiness and government. “Acceptance of our trading partners is paramount,” he said.

NAWG Honors Former MN Wheat Breeder
This year marks the second year that the NAWG Foundation has recognized excellence in research. This year’s recipient of the Excellence in Research award was presented to Bob Busch, right, plant geneticist and wheat breeder for the University of Minnesota, now retired.

Barry Flinchbaugh and Gale Harding were honored as this year’s Excellence in Extension award winners. Flinchbaugh, who received the NAWG Foundation award at the state level, is a professor of ag economics at Kansas State University. Harding, county level winner, is an extension educator in Madison County, Idaho.

Since 1990, NAWG Foundation has presented the annual awards to Extension professionals at both the state and county levels who have shown outstanding commitment to Extension programs that benefit wheat growers and the U.S. Wheat Industry. The NAWG Foundation’s Excellence in Extension and Excellence in Research awards are supported by Aventis CropScience, and is co-sponsored by WIRC and the NAWG Foundation.