Grower-leaders from the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates have adopted numerous new and modified policies aimed at enhancing production and marketing. Fall policy meetings in Snowbird, UT, addressed everything from insect research to world trade.

NAWG and U.S. Wheat urged immediate ratification of the U.S./Colombia free trade agreement and will prioritize efforts toward that end. The groups adds, “While we support enhanced interagency coordination, we insist that USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) continue to focus on agricultural export market development and policy as its primary function.

“While our global partners must comply with their commitments on trade as agreed in the World Trade Organization, bilateral, regional and other official trade instruments, we encourage the administration to exercise great care in implementing enhanced trade monitoring and enforcement so as not to provoke retaliation that has a negative impact on U.S. agricultural competitiveness.”

Other new or modified resolutions accepted by the NAWG Board included:

• NAWG supports prioritization of research and funding on wheat stem sawfly.
• NAWG and U.S. Wheat urge public universities to (1) recognize the producer investment in public germplasm development and (2) also urge public universities to adopt a standardized uniform Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) that includes the “Wheat Workers’ Code of Ethics” for germplasm exchange with public and private third parties.
• NAWG opposes any Risk Management Agency rule, which restricts the use of any sound and proven agronomic practice.
• NAWG supports any organization or council whose goal is to provide transportation relief for wheat producers.
• NAWG supports a farm to market exemption from interstate commerce regulatory enforcement to allow the movement of wheat from the farm gate to its first point of delivery where title is transferred within the state of origin.
• NAWG supports the timely appointment of state Farm Service Agency committees.
• Any effort made by Congress or the administration to strengthen the country’s food and feed safety systems should be risk-based and reliant on sound science.