01/18/08 New Wheat Commission Chairman

Washington Ag January 18, 2008 The new chairman of the Washington Wheat Commission is Hal Johnson who farms between Reardan and Davenport. Johnson was elected at the Commission's January meeting this week. Johnson: "I think probably the big issue this year is the fact that with the prices of wheat up we are looking at a much larger income than we have in the past. We don't know yet how much that is. But we are going to have our work cut out for us trying to use that in an effective and useful way. So, that will be the big challenge that we have." The bumper crop of revenue the Commission is collecting is due to the record high wheat prices and the fact its assessment on wheat sales is a percentage of price. Commission revenue is projected to hit six million dollars. This year will also see the Wheat Commission and Barley Commission surveying growers for their view on merging to the two commodity commissions. The two are already jointly managed and staffed. Whitman County grain producer Steve Appel has retired from the position of vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Another northwest producer was elected this week to succeed him, Barry Bushue, an Oregon nursery and berry grower. Appel is still president of the Washington Farm Bureau. I'm Bob Hoff.