03/06/06 Wheat growers in D. C.

03/06/06 Wheat growers in D. C.

Farm and Ranch March 6, 2006 Wheat producers from 23 states including the Pacific Northwest were in Washington D.C. over the weekend for a board meeting of the National Association of Wheat Growers. The early part of this week they will be visiting government agencies as well as lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Gretchen Borck, Director of Issues for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, says the high costs of fuel and fertilizer will be one topic on the agenda during those visits. Borck: "We are going to be presenting papers showing specific numbers on the increase here in Washington state, how it compares to the nation, how it compares to the world. And we are going to be working on an emergency assistance package to help, hopefully, compensate farmers for that additional cost that they had no control over whatsoever and has affected their bottom line across the board." Borck says the soft white wheat loan rate is another issue to be addressed. Borck: "And through Senator's Murray office and Congresswoman McMorris' office Washington wheat growers have a special meeting with USDA officials with regards to loan rate also. So we will be looking at the difference between soft white and hard red trying to find some understanding on why there is such a difference and why we cannot equalize that." The loan rate for 2006 crop soft white wheat was raised but there is still a gap between it the rates for hard red wheats. The result is soft white wheat producers get less of a government safety net. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information
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