03/18/08 Bakers say save our wheat

Farm and Ranch March 18, 2008 The American Bakers Association held its "Band of Bakers and Allied Forces March" in Washington D. C. last week calling for immediate action on a three point plan to address what it calls a commodity crisis. The ABA says the wheat supply is at historically low levels, commodity prices are at an all time high, the dollar is down and the consumer is starting to feel the impact. The bakers three point plan calls for early release of non-environmentally sensitive CRP acreage, elimination of the ethanol import tariff and a USDA review of wheat export policies in light of new market dynamics. The ABA did not call for an outright moratorium on U.S. wheat exports. National Association of Wheat Growers CEO Daren Coppock says it depends upon who you talk to whether or not the bakers want U.S. wheat exports curtailed. He says wheat growers cannot support any such government intervention. Coppock: "You interfere with market signals, which the market is clearly telling wheat growers we need some more wheat out there and it would step in there and stop some of that demand and price signal. But it would also send a very distressing message to our customers overseas that hey, when times get tough we are not going to take care of you. And we absolutely cannot do that if we want to be a reliable wheat supplier to the world." Coppock says Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has stated the administration absolutely will not stop wheat exports. Coppock also points out that the administration has repeatedly said they will not allow an early release of CRP land without penalty. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.