Weekly Update for
December 15

On Friday, NAWG CEO Chandler Goule appeared on Agri-Pulse Newsmakers with Mary-Thomas Hart with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Matt Valesko with the Conaway Graves Group. The panel offered their thoughts on the environment for the upcoming Farm Bill and other issues facing farm policy in 2023. Goule also spoke on the importance of trade and transportation for the wheat industry.

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution honoring the 20th Anniversary of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, which helps support education, child development, and food security in food-deficit countries around the globe. NAWG President, Nicole Berg, commented on the House passing this key recognition “National Association of Wheat Growers thanks Congressman Jim McGovern and Tracey Mann for their bipartisan work and successful passage of their resolution yesterday honoring the 20th anniversary of the George McGovern-Robert Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, which has played an important role in the United States’ commitment to ending hunger.” The Program provides for the donation of U.S. agricultural commodities to support school feeding projects and is named in part after Kansas legend, the late Senator Robert “Bob” Dole.

Farm Talk podcast hosted by Mick Kjar, got the opportunity to catch up with NAWG President Nicole Berg while attending the Prairie Grains Conference in Grand Forks, ND, last week. President Berg spoke on NAWG’s 2023 Farm Bill priorities as we look towards reauthorization in the 118th Congress. President Berg also noted the importance of crop insurance, bipartisan support of the bill, and the need for farmers to tell their stories.

Registration for NAWG’s Wheat Industry Winter Conference is open! We hope to see everyone soon at our winter meetings in Washington, D.C. January 31 – February 3. Registration and the hotel portal close January 10, 2023.

On December 14, the House of Representatives passed The Further Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act (H.R. 1437). The legislation is a short-term continuing resolution that extends federal government funding through December 23, which provides time to complete work on the framework for the fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill. Few details of the omnibus framework deal have been disclosed, but it is expected to provide close to $1.7 trillion in discretionary spending for fiscal year 2023. The Senate is expected to consider the short-term continuing resolution as soon as today.

Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing $285 million in infrastructure aimed at lowering energy costs, expanding access to clean energy in rural America, and combating climate change. The USDA is also making an additional $300 million available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), including $250 million through the Inflation Reduction Act, to spur further investment. This program helps farmers, ag producers and entrepreneurs purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on December 12 that the USDA is investing an additional $325 million for 71 projects under the second funding pool of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities effort, bringing the total investment from both funding pools to over $3.1 billion for 141 tentatively selected projects. Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities are working to expand markets for American producers who produce climate-smart commodities, leverage greenhouse gas benefits of climate-smart production, and provide meaningful benefits to producers, including small and underserved producers.

On December 7, the House Republican Steering Committee elected Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15) as the incoming Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. Currently, Congressman Thompson serves as the Ranking Member on the House Agriculture Committee. He will assume the new role on January 3, 2023. Following the vote, Congressman Thompson said he is “honored to lead the Committee on Agriculture and build on the accomplishments of the past two years as Ranking Member. The political landscape in Washington may be fractured, but as Chairman, I will prioritize the needs of our producers and rural communities—the backbone of this country.” Chairman Scott, the current chair, noted, “I want to congratulate my friend Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson on his selection by House Republicans to serve as Chairman of our great House Agriculture Committee.”

On December 13, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry met to discuss diet-related diseases and their impacts on nutrition in the United States. The hearing discussed the impacts on healthcare spending and how the U.S. can incentivize citizens to make better health decisions.

There are offsetting changes for exports by class with Hard Red Spring and White higher and Soft Red Winter lower. The 2022/23 season-average farm price is forecast $0.10 per bushel lower at $9.10, based on prices received to date and expectations for futures and cash prices for the remainder of 2022/23. The global wheat outlook for 2022/23 wheat is for reduced supplies, lower consumption, increased trade, and reduced stocks. Supplies are lowered by 2.1 million tons to 1,056.9 million on reduced production for Argentina and Canada, which is only partly offset by higher Australian production.

Thanks to all our great sponsors for the contest! If you want to partner with us on the 2023 contest, please get your commitment form to Anne Osborne (aosborne@wheatworld.org) as soon as possible! You can be invoiced anytime from now – until May 1. Thanks again; without you, the contest would not be possible!

Wheat 101 will be held on February 2, 2023. This is the seventh year of this educational event where all segments of the wheat value chain come together to meet each other and encourage congressional members and staff to interact with us and learn how important the wheat industry is; from seed to bagel. We appreciate all our exhibitors at this event and especially BNSF for their support. The February event will be held in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russel Senate Office building from 4-7 pm. To learn more, contact Anne Osborne (aosborne@wheatworld.org).

Thanks to BASF, the National Wheat Foundation awards two $2500 scholarships to college students pursuing a career in agriculture or a field that will advance the wheat industry. Applications are due December 31, 2022.

"Ope, sorry: Midwestern House Dems push for leaders between the coasts"