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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 February 2020:

  • At the winter board meeting of the National Barley Growers Association (NBGA) in Washington, DC, Montana was represented by MGGA Vice President Mitch Konen and Executive Vice President Lola Raska, MWBC Directors Mike O’Hara and Charlie Bumgarner and former MWBC Director Buzz Mattelin who serves as president of NBGA. Among others, guest speakers during the 3 days of meetings included:
    • Jason Hafemeister, Deputy Undersecretary, USDA Foreign Ag Service reported on recent trade developments. He said the China Phase I agreement includes many discreet regulatory advances and allows unilateral application of tariffs if purchase commitments are not met.
    • Ambassador Greg Doud, Chief Ag Negotiator, Office of the US Trade Representative, spoke in detail about the painstaking process of writing the China agreement.
    • Brad Karmen, FSA Assistant Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs, discussed the WHIP+ quality loss program and requested further input from growers.
  •  MGGA President Vince Mattson participated in a workshop at MSU on the Past, Present, and Future of the U.S. Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry.
  •  MGGA Director Boyd Heilig spoke about MGGA activities at the winter board meeting of the Montana Seed Growers Association held in Bozeman and toured the Montana State Seed Lab located on campus.
  •  The MGGA Board of Directors met in Glasgow for their winter board meeting to attend to business affairs of the organization. Directors reported on crop conditions and discussed upcoming activities. Director Steve Sheffels presented several draft position statements on emerging technologies for board consideration and Traci Sibley from EGT Kintyre gave a grain market update.
  •  MGGA officers participated in committee and board meetings of the National Association of Wheat Growers during Commodity Classic in San Antonio, TX. Gary Broyles, Past MGGA President from Rapelje, was elected to the National Wheat Foundation Board of Directors.