Grain Commission won't help fund direct seed group
Washington Ag Today For the second time this year the Washington Grain Commission has voted not to help fund the operations of the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association. The most recent refusal came at the Commission’s meeting last week when former PNDSA president Mark Sheffels requested 20-thousand dollars for the organization. In an interview Sheffels said the direct seed association helps give agriculture a greener image and benefits conventional farmers as well as direct seeders. Sheffels: “Whenever you make a presentation and you talk to agency people and you tell them the benefits of direct seed that will be the first question you get, why doesn‘t everyone do this? We explain that a lot of capital outlay, very expensive to get in for one thing. Also very variable on different areas, climates, soil type. It is a decision that just has to be made at the farm level. And it has to be made by well educated farmers. And we serve both purposes. We are educating farmers and we are identifying where and how it works best.” The Grain Commission voted down a motion by Commissioner Curtis Hennings to provide support to the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association. Most commissioners, including some direct seeders, were reluctant to fund a grower organization representing just one particular farming system. The Commission does fund research which benefits direct seeders but that was viewed as different from providing financial support for an organization. The Washington Grain Commission did however vote to become a member of the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association and pay the appropriate membership dues. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
