For immediate release
March 11, 2022

MGGA Attends Annual Wheat Conference and Commodity Classic​

New Orleans, LA – Officers and staff of Montana Grain Growers (MGGA) traveled to New Orleans for the annual conference of National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and Commodity Classic.

MGGA President Tryg Koch said, “There is nothing better than advocating for our Montana producers to help their operations succeed and move forward.”

The annual meeting is held as part of Commodity Classic— the premier convention and trade show for the wheat, corn, soybean and sorghum industries. The meetings kicked off with the Special Climate and Sustainability Committee where Vice President Keane served on the committee. Policy discussions included volunteer wheat, cover crops, crop rotations and the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities.

President Tryg Koch served on the Domestic and Trade Policy Committee where members heard from guest speaker Administrator Zach Ducheneaux from Farm Service Agency and Administrator Marcia Bunger with Risk Management Agency. President Koch invited both of the administrators to visit and see what agriculture looks like in Montana.

In Environment and Research Committee, where Past President Konen serves, members heard from guest speaker James Tillman, NRCS Senior Regional Conservationist for the Southeast. Konen brought forward a few policies from MGGA’s environmental, risk management and farm policy resolutions that members approved in December.

The final day of the annual conference consisted of the Board of Directors Meeting where NAWG officers were voted in and MGGA’s President Koch and Vice President Keane were placed on the board where they will represent Montana within NAWG.

“While being down there, we are able to bring forward farm policies from Montana’s members to NAWG, that then takes these policies to our congressional members that help form farm bill programs that insure a safe, abundant, and affordable food supply for the nation and the world,” Past President Konen stated. “It has been a great experience and very rewarding,” Konen added.

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The Montana Grain Growers Association is a commodity specific organization representing the interests of Montana wheat and barley growers. We use the contacts and experience gained over the past 60+ years to affect the laws, regulations and rules that we farm by. We are recognized as an influential commodity organization in our state and country and we use that influence to make things happen.