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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 November 2020: 

* MGGA staff participated in a session presented by the National Barley Growers Association  to review election results and the impact they are likely to have on key agriculture, food, and rural policy issues.

* MGGA officers and staff took part in multiple National Association of Wheat Growers annual fall conference meetings.

  • Domestic and Trade Policy Committee held discussions on rail policy, domestic farm programs with an eye towards Farm Bill reauthorization and the Grain Standards Reauthorization Act.
  • Environment and Research Committee received an appropriations and regulatory update, discussed research activities related to the US Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative and National Predictive Modeling Tool Initiative, received an Ecosystem Services Market Consortium update, discussed USDA Ag Innovation Comments, and received a pesticide/glyphosate lawsuit update.
  • The Budget Committee reviewed and approved the Q1 FY21 financials and draft 2019-20 audit results, reviewed the September 2020 Small Grain Report, and discussed the FY2021-2022 budget.
  • The Joint International Trade Committee heard from Bayer Crop Science regulatory staff on residues and SPS policy as trade barriers; received an excellent China trade and policy update from United States’ former Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad and USW Regional Vice President Jeff Coey; and heard about additional country specific trade issues from USW staff.
  • The Joint NAWG/USW Wheat Breeding Innovation Committee discussed U.S. biotech regulatory updates, the current market situation for gene editing, heard industry updates from BASF, Bayer, Syngenta, Calyxt, and Bioceres. Bioceres spoke about their recently announced efforts on drought-resistant GMO wheat in Argentina and their efforts to seek regulatory approval.

* The MSU Department of Ag Economics and MSU Extension hosted their annual Outlook Conference “2020: COVID-19’s Impact on Montana Agriculture” during virtual Celebrate Ag weekend. Find a recording of this very informative event at https://ampc.montana.edu/fallconference/index.html.

* MGGA staff and officers conducted several practice sessions in preparation for annual conference meetings scheduled for Dec 1-2.