August/September - Wheat Life

WLWAWG AT WORKto the naked eye. If wheat has a poor falling number analysis,the flour can cause product problems such as sticky,doughy bread which is difficult to handle in mechanicaloperations.The Risk Management Agency (RMA) quality adjustmentdiscounts for small grains are based on Farm ServiceAgency (FSA) Commodity Credit Corporation loandiscounts. FSA has falling number price discounts establishedfor soft white, hard red spring and durum wheats.Because of efforts made by WAWG, Oregon WheatGrowers League, Idaho Grain Producers Association,National Association of Wheat Growers, FSA and RMA,falling numbers quality adjustment discounts for softwhite, hard red spring and durum were implemented.For more information about how your crop insurancecould cover falling number quality loss, contact your localagent.New faces at WAWGand Wheat LifeA lot of transitions were made in July. On the WAWGfront, not only do we have a new CEO (see page 60) butalso a new set of hands on deck on the support staff side.WAWG’s newest employee, Lincoln County native TessaWicks, joined the team as their Outreach Coordinator.Previously, Wicks worked as an administrative assistantat Ag Link. She also served as administrative coordinatorfor the Agricultural Marketing and ManagementOrganization (AMMO) in her spare time. Wicks is fromthe Reardan-Davenport area, where her family operates awheat and barley farm. They also run cattle and operatethe 231 North Event Center north of Reardan.“We are excited to have Tessa join the wheat team,” saidKara Rowe, WAWG’s affairs and outreach director. “Herexperience working with the AMMO program is invaluable.She’s also a farm girl with a passion to work hard forour farmers.”Wicks earned her Masters in agribusiness fromWashington State University in 1998. She minored in bothanimal science and business administration and graduatedwith honors. Wicks’ main responsibilities will behelping to coordinate the AMMO program and otherpublic relations projects.Also, Wheat Life’s layout designer, Trista Crossley, hasbeen promoted to editor. Crossley has worked for the magazinefor three years as a designer and has taken on moreresponsibility to manage Wheat Life’s day-to-day activities.“Trista has been a joy to work with, and I’m glad she’sready to help lead the magazine,” said Rowe. “Her commitmentto detail and design is a perfect fit for Wheat Lifeas WAWG moves into a more aggressive education andoutreach program.”Crossley worked for the City of Spokane before makingthe full-time switch to Wheat Life. She has a background inprinting and news and once published her own magazinethat featured country music writers. She and her husbandlive in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.All in a year’s work✤ July 2011WAWG officers traveled to Washington, D.C., and met withvarious delegates including Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) andher staff; staff from Sen. Maria Cantwell’s (D-Wash.) office; stafffrom Rep. Doc Hastings’ (R-Wash.) office; Rep.Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and herstaff; as well as Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.).Kingston is a member of the HouseAppropriations Committee whichdirects federal spending. The WAWG officersalso met with non-appointed officials atthe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)Fisheries Service.Leaders from the Washington Grain Commission,Washington Wheat Foundation and WAWG gathered todiscuss specifics about launching a statewide public relationscampaign.✤ August/September 2011Staff prepares for the ever-changing federal and statebudgets, monitors policy topics, writes letters to Congress andanswers media phone calls during harvest season.Numerous farm policy discussions and conference callsregarding potential Supercommittee budget and farm billproposals with NAWG.Staff prepares for annual convention.WAWG and public affairs partners launch statewide surveyto find out how the Washington state public feels about wheatgrowers and specific, farm-based topics in preparation for amultiyear public relations campaign.✤ October 2011Staff monitors and prepares for a state budget special sessioncalled by Gov. Gregoire. The state needs tofind about $2 billion to cover the current incomeshortfall. Agricultural tax exemption removal isup for discussion among state lawmakers.WAWG President Ben Barstow joins otherWashington ag groups on an advocacy trip toWashington, D.C.The WAWG board unanimously approved support toincrease the burning permit fee in order to cover the costs of12 WHEAT LIFE AUG/SEPT 2012