WAWG
Washington wheat growers were in Washington, D.C., in early September to take part in a farm bill fly-in organized by the National Association of Wheat Growers. Multiple commodities and stakeholders took part in congressional meetings. From left are Andy Juris, WAWG past president; Nicole Berg, WAWG past president; Sara Wyant, AgriPulse; Mary Kay Thatcher, Syngenta; and Anthony Smith, WAWG president.
In September, Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) leaders took a break from fieldwork to travel to Washington, D.C., to take part in a farm bill fly-in.
WAWG president Anthony Smith’s (third from left) group included representatives from sorghum, Farm Credit, peanuts, corn, and soybeans.
WAWG President Anthony Smith was joined by WAWG past presidents, Andy Juris and Nicole Berg, on the trip, which was organized by the National Association of Wheat Growers. In addition to wheat, other commodity organizations took part in the fly-in, including the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Cotton Council, U.S. Peanut Federation, Southwest Council of Agribusiness, National Sorghum Producers, USA Rice, Farm Credit Council, and the American Bankers Association. The groups gathered at the NAWG office for a briefing before breaking into multicommodity groups and meeting with nearly 100 Hill offices and Congressional leaders, including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
During the meetings, the growers emphasized the need for Congress to act before the end of the year to strengthen farm policy for America’s farmers and highlighted the weakening market prices, increased cost of production, and overall financial situation in the farm economy.
“Our message to Congress was that we need a farm bill now, not another extension,” said WAWG President Anthony Smith. “I think having multiple commodities visiting together drove home the message that the farm bill is critical to every part of agriculture.”