NAWG surveying growers for next farm bill
Farm and Ranch March 15, 2010 The 2012 Farm Bill continues to be a focus for the National Association of Wheat Growers Domestic and Trade Policy Committee. The group met at the Commodity Classic earlier this month and now immediate past committee chairman, Jeff Newtson of Oregon, says most of the focus was on the next farm bill. Newtson: “Went through an exercise with Cory Wittman, who is our NAWG lobbyist, and she sent us through an exercise of analyzing exactly what programs work well for our producers. We had about 20 of us around the table from around the United States working on this. And we decided to come out with a survey to send out to the growers in our states so they can have input in this.” Newtson says the committee will wait for the surveys to come back about the first part of April and then it will meet by teleconference in mid-April. Newtson: “And then probably do a face to face meeting later this spring so we can analyze those surveys and then come up with a process to move forward with this 2012 Farm Bill. Then later in the year meet up with the Environment and the Research and Technology Committee here at NAWG and come up with their concerns and what they want to see in the farm bill and then meld that all into one policy and then present it to the board later this fall.” Newtson says the crop insurance program came out as a top priority at that committee meeting. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network. ? ? ?
