01/31/05 Wheat growers lobby Olympia

Washington Ag January 31, 2005 Nearly two dozen members of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers have been in Olympia over the weekend and will be meeting with state lawmakers today and tomorrow on various issues. Borck: "We're going to be also distributing Washington wheat cookies to everyone in Olympia on the hill under the Capitol Dome. It has a real impact. They know the wheat growers are in town when they find a cookie on their desk." That's Wheat Growers director of issues Gretchen Borck, who says a major focus for the growers will be supporting core funding for Washington State University. Other issues producers are monitoring include, the Odessa Sub-area Aquifer, the Columbia River Initiative, a proposal to restrict the use of compression brakes, and updating state law to conform to changes in the federal estate tax. . Lawmakers will also be getting an invitation from the Wheat Growers.. Borck: "We are going to be inviting them to our Washington Wheat Industry Tour which will be featuring Spokane and Lincoln counties in June. So we will be discussing that with them to get that on their calendar so they can come over and we can show them on the ground operations for the wheat industry." That tour will be June 21st and 22nd. I'm Bob Hoff.