11/21/06 Wheat groups okay unified management

Washington Ag November 21, 2006 Joint management is the goal of measures approved this month by the Washington Association of Wheat Growers board of the directors and the Washington Wheat Commission. Commission Chairman Randy Suess explains. Suess: "And this would be to put one executive director over the Wheat and Barley Commissions and the Washington Association of Wheat Growers. So it is just a little, tiny step and then we will wait and see on how that works and where we move after that." The Washington Barley Commission will be voting on the joint management proposal in December. Assuming their approval Suess says an executive committee with two representatives from each organization will select the executive director, perhaps by mid-March. Suess: "Are we going to eliminate other peoples' positions? Absolutely not. Peoples' positions are still going to be needed to be filled. People still need to do the work. Will these job descriptions change? I would sure guess that they probably would and maybe even restructuring of some peoples' salaries. But we are not down the road far enough yet to know the exact specifics on that. But that is kind of what we are looking at." The Wheat Commission and Wheat Growers would maintain their separate facilities in Spokane and Ritzville. The Barley Commission, with its one remaining staff person, an administrator, moved in with the Wheat Commission earlier this year. I'm Bob Hoff.