U.S. Wheat Associates President talks cooperation with Australian growers

Farm and Ranch March 9, 2010 The U.S. and Australian wheat industries cooperating? That was one topic addressed by U. S. Wheat Associates President Alan Tracy when he spoke recently by invitation to Western Australia wheat growers. In an interview shortly after his return from down under, Tracy pointed to biotechnology as an area of cooperation and the tripartite letter signed a year ago between the U.S. and some Australian organizations, which also included Canada.

Tracy: “But there is more to do there. We said we would try to coordinate our efforts as we introduce the first biotech wheat, but saying it is one thing and doing it is another. We will still have that effort in front of us. I think that is quite important. There are things we can work together on trade policy. I think in particular now that they do not have an export trade enterprise of their own they ought to be joining us in pointing out the trade distorting impacts of the Canadian monopoly and try to get some international rules in place before Russia develops its own monopoly. So, those are just a couple of examples.”

Tracy also told the Australians that there are sound reasons for American producers to want to see Australian growers do well. He said if the market isn’t working to bring producers down under full value for their wheat, it gets sold too cheaply, and serves to bring prices to U.S. growers down as well.

Australian growers are adjusting to a world where the Australian Wheat Board no longer has monopoly on wheat exports.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.