POLICY
Tri-State Grain Growers Convention is a success
November 28, 2012
Attendees of the Tri-State Grain Growers Convention no
doubt left with an earful of information. From biotechnology
to coal trains, there was a lot that both young and notso-
young farmers could gather insights and information
from during the three-day event held in Coeur d’Alene,
Idaho.
The days were filled with educational seminars, topical
panels and keynote addresses. Michael Scuse, USDA’s undersecretary
for farm and foreign agricultural services, addressed
a crowd of more than 300 farmers, staff and farm
service providers. He said the USDA will move quickly to
implement a farm bill once Congress approves one.
The USDA has declared more than half of the counties
in the U.S. disaster areas, Scuse said, but some disaster
programs in the old farm bill expired last fall and others
expired more than a year ago. Programs important to
the wheat industry like the Market Access Program and
Foreign Market Development Program are only continuing
due to a carryover of 2012 money and are expected to
run out in January, Scuse said. If Congress doesn’t pass a
bill, the programs cease to exist and cooperators in foreign
countries will have to close their offices.
“For every dollar we spend in these programs, there is
a $35 return on investment,” he said. “I don’t know where
you can spend the money to get that kind of return on
investment anywhere.”
They also heard from well-known environmentalist
and farm subsidy critic, Ken Cook, of the Environmental
Working Group, and weatherman Art Douglas. Douglas
predicted that the Pacific Northwest will receive adequate
amounts of moisture this winter, but will see drier conditions
next spring and summer. Growers also had a rare
opportunity to witness four experts of various opinions
discuss GMOs on stage (read more on page 22).
Individual workshops included a coal and rail capacity
discussion and informational speakers discussing social
media, crop insurance, marketing, bookkeeping, plant nutrients,
barley, estate planning and yield mapping among
others. The Idaho and Washington state conservationists
also participated in a breakout session, explaining their
thoughts on future NRCS programs and issues.
The national grain policy and marketing groups, U.S. Wheat Associates, National Association of Wheat Growers,
U.S. Grains Council and National Barley Growers
Association, had representatives who also updated the
crowd on what 2013 may hold in store.
The 2013 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention will be
held Nov. 14-16 at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane.