WLPOLICY MATTERSinput. They heard from representatives of the WashingtonState Departments of Agriculture, Health and Labor andIndustries. They also heard from Columbia Legal Services,a farm worker, Friends of Farms and Forests and theWashington Horticulture Association (apples).During the 2012 Legislative session, a bill designed toset spray buffers and notification requirements on farmerswas sponsored by 20 Representatives in the House, and itwas referred to the Committee on Labor and WorkforceDevelopment. The bill stemmed from concerns for protectingworkers and other community members from pesticidedrift.The bill proposed that a person may not apply anypesticide by airplane, air-blast sprayer, fumigation or anyother application method that poses a substantial risk ofpesticide drift within half a mile of a childcare facility, aresidence, school or any natural person who is outdoors,unless the person applying the pesticides has reasonablyconcluded that no natural persons are present outdoors atthe time of the application. The proposed bill also required24-hour notice before spraying. This bill would havesignificantly halted agricultural spraying throughout thestate. The bill was stopped in committee, but the potentialof it resurfacing in some form concerns state agriculturalgroups. WAWG will continue to monitor the issue.Attacks on foreign marketingprograms keep comingBy NAWGThe Market Access Program (MAP) came under attackagain recently in the Senate, with Sen. Tom Coburn(R-Okla.) attempting to eliminate funding for the exportmarket development program at a Senate FinanceCommittee meeting.Two amendments preparedby Coburn related to the MAPprogram were ruled nongermaneand ultimately werenot considered. Still, the effortshowed the continual attemptsby some members to endmarket development programsthat are proven to be effective,efficient policies with excellentreturns to farmers and theeconomy.MAP and a sister program, the Foreign MarketDevelopment (FMD) program, are regular targets of certainmembers who don’t appreciate their positive impactson farmers’ incomes and the U.S. economy.Both programs are authorized in the Farm Bill, whichis currently up for renewal, with MAP receiving $200 millionannually and FMD receiving $34.5 million annually.They are managed by USDA’s Foreign AgriculturalService, which awards matching funds to nonprofit U.S.agricultural trade associations and other groups promotingthe sales of U.S. commodities overseas. To be eligiblefor the funding, farmersmust contribute up to a100 percent match andrecipient organizationsmust annually submitpromotion plans forreview and approval.A recent report onthe program from IHSGlobal Insights, done atUSDA’s request, showedthat MAP and FMD haveboosted agriculturalexports by $6.1 billion,supporting up to 50,000 jobs.A 2009 study done atthe Cornell UniversityCommodity PromotionResearch Program showedthat for every $1 invested byproducers and the federalgovernment between 2002and 2009, $115 returned tothe U.S. economy.The study also showed MAP and FMD provide a $35-to-$1 return on investment and have reduced U.S. domesticfarm safety net payments an estimated $54 millionbecause of the higher prices that come with more overseassales.For the wheat industry, which uses the programs to supportU.S. <strong>Wheat</strong> Associates’ work around the world, thereturn on investment on MAP and FMD is even larger.A 2009 study done at the Cornell University CommodityPromotion Research Program showed that for every $1 investedby producers and the federal government between2002 and 2009, $115 returned to the U.S. economy.The Oklahoma <strong>Wheat</strong> Growers Association (OWGA),which represents wheat producers in Coburn’s home state,responded to his efforts this week with blunt rejection.“The Oklahoma <strong>Wheat</strong> Growers Association is very concernedabout Sen. Tom Coburn’s attack on Oklahoma agricultureand the Oklahoma economy through his repeatedproposals to cut funding for the Market Access Program,including amendments prepared for consideration by theSenate Finance Committee recently,” said OWGA PastPresident and wheat farmer Jimmie Musick in a statement.“Though today’s amendments were ruled out of order,we know that in his quest to cut the federal budget, he willagain attack this highly successful program that brings18 WHEAT LIFE AUG/SEPT 2012
WE ALLSHOULD BECOMMITTEDPest and/or Disease ProfileKaren Schott - Board Vice ChairCall us crazy, but at Northwest Farm Credit Services ourcommitment to agriculture borders on obsession. We’re a10 billion dollar financial cooperative focused on helpingproducers of all kinds throughout the Northwest thrive andsucceed. We do this by immersing ourselves in farming andranching and by listening to our board of directors—which iscomprised almost entirely of ag producers.Leaf RustStripe RustCephlasorium StripeStrawbreaker Foot Rot9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Rating Scale: Excellent (1-2) Very Good (3-4)Good (5-6) Fair (7-8) Poor (9)We’re proud of our single-minded focus on ag, and dedicatedto moving the industry forward.Follow Us:farm-credit.com | 800.743.2125WHEAT LIFE AUG/SEPT 2012 19
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