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The Montana Wheat
and Barley Committee (MW & BC) is the producer-funded and directed
checkoff organization for wheat and barley growers in the state. The MW
& BC is attached to the Montana Department of Agriculture for administrative
purposes.
The Montana State Legislature appropriates the funds budgeted by the MW
& BC directors. The Committee, by mandate of state statute, is supported
exclusively by a self-assessment which producers pay on the sale of their
wheat and barley to fund foreign and domestic marketing development and
research programs.
Wheat and barley are the principal grain crops produced in Montana and
are agricultural resources of the first magnitude in the economy of the
state. These commodities enter a domestic and world market that is highly
competitive. Therefore, it is the mission of the Montana Wheat and Barley
Committee to protect and foster the health, prosperity, and general welfare
of this industry by encouraging and promoting intensive, scientific, and
practical research into all phases of the wheat and barley culture and
production, marketing, and end-use and, further, to aid in the development
of markets for wheat and barley grown in Montana.
HOT TOPICS
A Montana Wheat
and Barley Committee Board Meeting will be held will be held in the Diamond Room of the
Effective February 1, 2008 BNSF reduced the 26 car rates on westbound wheat for both domestic and export, re-establishing a 26 car rate that had been eliminated in May 2003. BNSF is re-establishing a four-tiered rate structure on Northern Westbound Wheat as they break out and lower the 26-51 car domestic and export rates to PNW by $50 per car or 1 cent per bushel. Thus, they are now publishing a single, 26 car, 52 car and 110 car rate structure. The previous rate structure was three tiered 1-51, 52-109, 110-120. The new rate structure will result in a minor reduction, primarily to domestic millers.
Fuel Surcharge Table-Montana's wheat BNSF fuel surcharges from MT to PNW (view table)
Agreement Reached on New Malt Barley Contract
Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma (CCM) and the Sweetgrass Barley Association, a group of Northern Montana malting barley growers, this week signed a new contracting arrangement. This new agreement is a pilot of what both sides expect to be a much larger long term supply agreement between the two parties. Among the innovative aspects of the agreement is the recognition of both the cost of production of barley as well as the economics of competing crops to establish a contract price. This should lead to a more predicable supply of barley for CCM and a more stable crop pricing situation for the barley growers.
Bernardo Mora Valdes of CCM has said they look forward to dealing directly with Montana producers. “CCM is anxious to implement a long term relationship that will grow in volume with each successive crop year”, added Guillermo Francos Macedo. Herb Karst of the Sweetgrass group expressed thanks to the US Grains Council (USGC) and Montana Wheat and Barley Committee (MWBC) for facilitating meetings last fall in Conrad, Montana, and this winter in Panama City, Panama, at which the parties first discussed a possible contracting arrangement. USGC and MWBC use producer check off and Market Access Program dollars to build markets for U.S. barley. CCM is the brewer of many fine beers including Dos Equis, Tecate and Sol.
Eastbound Rates Decrease - Effective March 16, 2007 BNSF has reduced Eastbound Wheat rates to Minneapolis from Montana. (more)
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