If you took our Wheat commission from state control, we would lose it.

I read Larry Dreiling's editorial regarding the Wheat organization consolidation. In Oklahoma, where I was once a member the Wheat Commission, we did not draw any reward for service. I was appointed by the governor after he was advised by the Oklahoma Wheat Growers as to their choice and released five years later the same way. We were paid less than actual expenses for our travel and out of pocket. My accountant wanted to know if it was possible that I spent $7,000 more than I was paid one year. The Chairmen of these organizations contribute a lot. The year I was Western Wheat Association chairman, I was gone from home over 200 nights.

Now as to the consolidation, have you been keeping up with the National Cattlemen's Association after it joined in the beef checkoff program? They have a problem. Unlike many Wheat commissions, the beef checkoff is not refundable. If it were, it is my opinion that they would see a tremendous drop in revenue. R-CALF and the LMA have made life difficult. Don't get me wrong, I pay the checkoff on Wheat and beef and have never asked for a refund nor will I as long as there seems to be a great effort to improve our industries. I don't agree with the R-CALF or LMA but I did tell our beef council that this is what they were headed for.

We had the American Ag Movement when I was on the Commission. They were wrong but none the less it made for uneasy times. The AAM did not nor do they now understand that we are not an isolated market. We need organizations like USWA to help us compete in the world. We also need the NAWG and the other farm organizations to help politically. USWA has a hard time with the fact that they can't get involved too deep in politics. That is why they need NAWG and NAWG needs them to carry out the programs.

If you took our Wheat commission from state control, we would lose it. The OFB and OFU as well as many grain dealers would remove their support. With out the checkoff being quasi mandated, I don't think the support would be there now. Many of the largest growers already ask for their money back.

As to the encouragement of some states to go into areas not visited by USWA, that will eventually lead to 50 states competing with each other and tearing their programs apart. It's bad enough to compete with the Aussies, Canadians and the EU. The first thing you know, we will lose the market development support and the one-quarter of a million dollars that we have spent on consolidation efforts will be a drop the bucket. No, we need to follow the protocols of policy that sells all our wheat, not just my wheat.

I encourage any one reading this to support their state Wheat grower organization and get involved in Farm Bureau as well as the Farmers Union. We work together or we sink. It's a choice. The fringe organizations usually have a small agenda and need to be examined very closely.

I can appreciate your willingness to promote the ideas of the Kansas Commission but perhaps you need popularity also.

--James W. (Jimmy) Kinder, former OWC commissioner, former GPW board member, former Chairman of WWA, Walters, Okla.