Push for farmer-funded Michigan wheat checkoff program continues
Petition drive ongoing for referendum to support wheat research, marketing
Contact: Bob Boehm, (800) 292-2680, ext. 2023
LANSING, Jan. 21, 2011 -Work continues on collecting signatures and financial pledges for a petition drive that aims to give Michigan wheat farmers the opportunity to vote on whether they would like to establish a self-assessment program which would help finance research and marketing activities to advance the state's wheat industry.
To date, about 150 signatures have been gathered toward the 200 valid signatures needed and just under $2,000 has been pledged toward the $10,000 required to help the state offset the costs of holding a referendum for a Michigan wheat checkoff program, said Bob Boehm, who manages the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) Commodity and Marketing Department and oversees MFB's Feed Grains, Oilseeds and Wheat Advisory Committee, a committee made up of farmers who initiated the petition drive late last year.
"The signatures are coming in rapidly as growers visit with farmers about the effort at farmer meetings across the state," said Boehm. "The next challenge is demonstrating the ability, through grower and industry pledges, to cover the cost involved in the referendum process."
MFB is working with other agricultural organizations and stakeholders, including Michigan State University Extension and Chelsea Milling Co., to share information with farmers at meetings being held around the state. Wheat growers can find schedules of upcoming meetings at http://www.michfb.com/commodities/wheat.
At the Web page, http://www.michfb.com/commodities/wheat, farmers can also find general information about the initiative along with grower and industry pledge forms.
Presently, the only money dedicated to wheat research comes from wheat millers, grain elevators and food processors who established the $1 million Eastern Soft White Wheat Council endowment fund in 2006 to finance MSU research and help support MSU's wheat breeding program through annual interest from the endowment.
"That's fine, but to match progress made in corn and soybeans, wheat needs more dollars along with a dedicated group of growers representing wheat grower interests," said Boehm.
A potential assessment amount has not been determined, said Boehm, but would be clearly spelled out in the ballot language should a referendum take place. The last referendum held in 2000, which narrowly failed, asked for one-half of one percent of the value of wheat sold during the marketing year.
"At this point, it's uncertain how much money could be raised by an assessment," said Boehm. "Estimates, based on one-fourth percent of value, would be in the neighborhood of $300,000 annually, assuming half the wheat crop is sold in Michigan."
By signing the petition, wheat growers are asking the director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to: consider the adoption of a P.A. 232 marketing program to encompass all Michigan grown wheat; to have a program developed by a temporary committee made up of Michigan wheat farmers appointed by the Agriculture and Rural Development director; and to consider the program at a public hearing.
If all the requirements are met and the Agriculture and Rural Development director decides to hold a referendum, ballots, along with a letter of explanation, will be sent to every wheat farmer of record in Michigan. Growers would be given two weeks to respond, with their votes weighted by how much wheat they have produced in any one of the past three years.
In order to pass, the referendum would need to be supported by both popular vote and by a majority of production represented by farmers who voted.
"In terms of a timeline, we'd like to turn the petitions into the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) in early February with hopes that a public hearing could be held in March, followed by a 14-day referendum in June and, if successful, the start of an assessment program in January 2012," said Boehm.
Wheat growers who have questions or would like to help in this effort can contact Boehm at (800) 292-2680, ext. 2023 or bboehm@michfb.com.
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Editor's note: See earlier news release at http://www.michfb.com/agrinotes/index/182/1594 for more information on how Michigan wheat farmers could benefit from a wheat checkoff program.
