07/02/08 Wheat assessment raised in Oregon

Farm and Ranch July 2, 2008 At its meeting this week the Oregon Wheat Commission decided to raise the assessment on wheat from the current three cents a bushel to five cents. It's the first increase in the state's wheat assessment since 1991. Commission administrator Tana Simpson says commissioners felt they needed to increase the assessment fairly significantly in order to sustain programs. They did however stay with a flat rate and non-refundability. Simpson: "They were considering a percentage assessment, three-quarters of one percent. In looking at it they were concerned about the fluctuation. In addition growers had expressed concerns about no being able to know what their assessment was going to be. So the commissioners felt the best thing to do was to stay with cents per bushel." The assessment increase from three cents to five cents took effect on wheat sales as of July 1st. Simpson: "The commissioners will be developing a plan that will help cap the reserves so that the assessment rate will be adjusted if the reserves get too high." The Oregon Wheat Commission uses revenue from the assessment to fund such programs as the Oregon Wheat Growers League, the Wheat Marketing Center, U.S. Wheat Associates and Oregon State University research. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.