FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota Grain Growers Association President John Weinand and Director Jeff Mertz will represent North Dakota farmers at the National Association of Wheat Growers Fall Wheat Conference. Representatives from across the nation are discussing key agricultural issues during the meeting from Oct. 17 to 20 in Charleston, South Carolina.
In addition to their leadership roles in the NDGGA, Weinand and Mertz each serve on NAWG committees. As a member of NAWG’s Environmental and Renewable Resources Committee, Weinand says the 2018 Farm Bill will be a main topic of discussion. “The Farm Bill really comes down to dollars on the ground,” he said. “We want to work together with the new administration to create a bill that works for everyone and gets public support.”
Mertz serves on NAWG’s Domestic and Trade Policy Committee and says funding for the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program will be the focus for his group. “Every dollar spent on MAP and FMD returns $35, so we’re hoping to increase the funding,” Mertz said. “We feel there is a lot of growth potential in the Asian-Pacific Market, and the recent news of Taiwanese officials signing a contract to purchase our Hard Red Spring Wheat is a perfect example of the importance of these programs.”
Weinand says these NAWG meetings are a great opportunity to represent the interests of North Dakota farmers on a national level. “With the Farm Bill coming up next year, we’ve identified our priorities, and we’re ready to make policy recommendations that will benefit North Dakota farmers,” he said. “The more support we have from producers in our own state, the stronger our voice will be in Washington.”
— North Dakota Grain Growers Association
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