Working for You

Working for You

Each month we provide some key areas where MGGA leaders and staff have been working on your behalf. Here is a sampling of important issues and activities for April 2020:

Executive Vice President Lola Raska joined a call with the Ag Land Valuation Advisory Committee. After a review of the committee’s responsibilities, valuation methods, and pending administrative changes, the committee decided against making any changes to the capitalization rate for the 2021 tax cycle.
Raska participated in a call with the Montana State Fund Ag Group executive committee to consider changes to the eligibility criteria in an effort to generate more frequent payouts to participating members.
National Association of Wheat Growers President David Milligan announced committee assignments for the coming year appointing MGGA President Vince Mattson to the NAWG Domestic & Trade Policy Committee (DTPC) and the Operations & Planning Committee and Vice President Mitch Konen to the Environment & Research Committee (ERC) and Wheat Breeding Innovation Committee. Congratulations and thanks to both for representing Montana grain producers in these important leadership positions.

NAWG has held several Zoom meetings over the past month:

MGGA President Vince Mattson participated on two calls with the Operations and Planning Committee to review association by-laws changes regarding state limited membership status and new industry member categories.

Mattson also took part in a DTPC meeting where members shared state issues, discussed ideas on providing relief to wheat growers, and received status reports on WHIP+ and the new quality loss crop insurance product to be available June 30 for the 2021 crop.

MGGA Vice President Mitch Konen participated in an ERC meeting to discuss Covid-19 issues surrounding logistics and supply of pesticides; licensing and certification issues; and new and ongoing lawsuits on specific pesticides and their potential effects on wheat growers.

Mattson and Konen joined a full NAWG board meeting to debate and ratify policy positions proposed by the committees.