NAWG Weekly NewsletterNovember 28, 2003

National Association

of Wheat Growers (NAWG)

Weekly Newsletter

415 2nd St. NE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20002  Tel. (202) 547-7800  Fax (202) 546-2638 

Volume MMI, Issue 3 January 20, 2006

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NAWG Weekly NewsletterJanuary 20, 2006

In This Issue…

North American Grain Congress Early Bird Registration Ends Saturday

USDA Promotes Environmental Quality Incentive Program to Offset High Energy Costs

WETEC, USW Meet with Ambassador Crowder.

North American Grain Congress Early Bird Registration Ends Saturday

Are you planning to attend the 2006 North American Grain Congress in San Antonio early next month? Then why not save $50 by taking advantage of the early bird registration discount?

Register online at by Saturday to receive the discount. To make hotel reservations, call the Hyatt Regency at (888) 421-1442.

The Grain Congress is the joint conference of the National Sorghum Producers and the National Association of Wheat Growers. This year's Grain Congress will focus on domestic farm policy, trade and energy.

The Grain Congress officially begins on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5, with an opening reception featuring the big game on a big screen.

New FSA Administrator Teresa Lasseter will attend the general session on Monday morning and will speak about USDA's efforts to build partnerships with producers in an effort to enhance government program delivery. Jim Wiesemeyer of Informa Economics will talk about how change resulting from the federal budget, trade policy and the 2007 farm bill could impact producers. Tom Tucker of John Stewart & Associates will give his perspective on the impacts of escalating energy costs and Paul Drazek of DTB Associates will offer his view of the progress of the WTO Doha Round.

A farm bill panel will give producers an idea of what they can expect from other agricultural stakeholders. Panelists will include Ralph Grossi of American Farmland Trust, Keira Franz of

United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, James Vorderstrasse of the National Sorghum Producers and Sherman Reese of the National Association of Wheat Growers.

The Grain Congress will also give attendees the opportunity to learn about new products, technology and production practices through tabletop displays, educational hearings on Monday afternoon by John Deere and Bayer CropScience, and a research session on Tuesday.

The Grain Congress wraps up with a banquet on Tuesday evening with entertainment provided by comedian Jimmy Travis.

USDA Promotes Environmental Quality Incentive Program to Offset High Energy Costs

US Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner has announced that $40 million will be available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to allow participants to complete conservation practices that have been delayed because of high energy costs.

"This adjustment will help our producers to fully implement those practices which will increase the protection of our natural resources and in some cases, lessen the impact of high energy prices by reducing producers' need for energy and energy-related inputs.” Conner said in an address to the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

To be eligible for this one time adjustment, producers need to have signed EQIP contracts in 2004 or earlier. The increase in payments will apply to practices that have been most affected by increases in the costs of concrete, steel, plastic pipe and other construction materials. The increase will only be paid for practices that are completed between March 1 and June 30, 2006 and will focus on specific practices that have increased in price by 20% or more because of rising energy costs.

EQIP is a voluntary program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service for farmers and ranchers that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality through structural or management practices on agricultural land.

WETEC, USW Meet with Ambassador Crowder

News from WETEC

Richard T. Crower,the newly appointed chief agriculture negotiator to the World Trade Organization, began his term in office by inviting leading members of commodity groups to come in for an informal chat on issues concerning the World Trade Organization. The wheat industry got their opportunity to voice wheat’s major WTO issues with the Ambassador on Tuesday, January 17th.
Wheat Export Trade Education Committee Executive Director Barbara Spangler and U.S. Wheat Associates President Alan Tracy reminded Ambassador Crowder that negotiation of the competition pillar was not simply completed with the elimination of export subsidies agreed to at the Hong Kong Ministerial and said ending monopoly practices was necessary to level the playing field for the wheat

industry. Wheat representatives cited Australia and Canada as examples of how monopoly-trading practices distorts trade and creates an unequal playing field.
In a follow up letter from their meeting to the Ambassador the wheat officials said that “removing the ability to of our competitors to undermine us through monopoly trading practices in an important part of the wheat industry’s focus in the WTO negotiations.” The letter also asked Ambassador Crowder to use the U.S.-Australia FTA reviews to remind Australia of their commitment to help end export monopoly distortions in the WTO.

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