05/23/07 Wheat Commission approves record budget

Washington Ag May 23, 2007 With increased assessment revenue from strong wheat prices the Washington Wheat Commission has adopted a record large budget for its upcoming fiscal year of 4.96 million dollars. That's an increase of more than 1.5 million dollars from the current year. One million of that increase is going into a reserve that eventually will be used to create an endowed chair at Washington State University in agricultural economics. Wheat Commission Chairman Randy Suess believes growers will be happy with the spending plan. Suess: "We've got once again almost 38% of the budget is going to Washington State University for research. The other big chunk will be going for marketing our grain around the world. The rest for administrative expenses and the money that goes to WAWG and their services they do for us. So, it is a good budget. It is one I am really real proud of." A couple of new budget items are funds for a trip to the Black Sea region to learn about the export competition coming from there. There is also 100-thousand dollars for the Water on Wheels and Wheat Week which are educational outreach programs run by the Franklin County Conservation District in schools in eastern Washington. There may be some budget changes needed when the Wheat Commission, Barley Commission and Washington Association of Wheat Growers combine their staffs and administration as the Washington Grain Alliance July 1st. I'm Bob Hoff.