Wheat leader reports on D.C. trip

Farm and Ranch December 22, 2011 The President of the National Association of Wheat Growers, Wayne Hurst of Idaho, was among the representatives of agricultural groups that visited Washington D.C. last week.

One stop was Capitol Hill where Hurst says there was a meeting with most members of the House Ag Committee and other members.

Hurst: “We shared with them our priorities and views primarily on farm policy. We talked with them how it is important to us farmers that they get the deficit under control. They were elected, a lot of them, to address that issue and we expect them to do so. But also at the same time we emphasized the need to maintain a solid safety net for farmers when required. When there are severe weather instances or severe low prices or other events that farmers have no control over, that there is a safety net in place. And we always emphasize the importance of crop insurance and how important it is to running our businesses and risk management.”

What did the ag groups hear from lawmakers?

Hurst: “I think everyone said that no, there is support still for farm programs within the House. There are differing views on what the proper role of the government is but there still some broad support for farmers and farm programs in the House currently.”

Hurst also met with the Agriculture Secretary and the head of EPA. That story tomorrow.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net.

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