Improve Wheat Farmers’ Profits & Move US Wheat Industry Upward By Jim Palmer, NAWG CEO & NWF Exec. Director

Unified Voice for U.S. Wheat Growers Goal: Establish strong relationships with wheat chain partners –Coordinate with NWF –Closer Relations with State Associations &Commissions –USW, ABA, NAMA –NWIC,NGFA, NAGEA –NSGA, ASA, NCGA, AFBF, NFU & others

Unified Voice for U.S. Wheat Growers Goal: Dialogue and expand relationships – work toward unified agricultural policy –Summits or Forums with wheat value chain –Commodity Classic and coalition work with other commodity organizations

MY PROGRAM & POLICY PRIORITIES  Substantially increase public and private investments into wheat production innovation improve US farmer profitability.  Maintain & Improve all USDA risk management programs (explore new)  Maintain as best possible USDA-FAS level of investment to USW‘s & states’ International Trade & Marketing Programs

Start Efforts to get +15% yield by 2025

Investment & Innovation

The Potential is Vast and Expanding Germplasm resources from 8,000 years –Both conventional and transgenic results Innovation in plant breeding technologies speeding up plant breeding process –Marker-assisted breeding –High-through-put screening –Hybridization –Biotechnology Learning from those who gone before us

Investments Across the Board Supporting public investments –Strengthen and coordinate efforts to advocate for Congressionally-directed funding –Advocate to the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) for federal grants to wheat Supporting private investments –Exclusive –Collaborative –Public-private Increased farmer investments at local as well as state and national level

Private Investments Increased private investment globally –Monsanto –Syngenta –BASF –Bayer CropScience –Dow AgroSciences –Limagrain Cereal Seeds –Arcadia Biosciences On the path to commercialization –Specialties and/or broadly-adapted traits –Traits include Yield Disease Heat tolerance Nitrogen use efficiency Moisture use Nutrition traits

Principles for Commercialization adopted by NAWG and USW 1)Tech provider dialogue with USW/NAWG Joint Biotech Committee prior to regulatory approvals 2)Regulatory approvals secured in major export markets with functioning regulatory systems 3)Trait must not impair ability of non-transgenic wheat to meet low level presence thresholds 4)Accurate, economical, timely trait detection test 5)Education/outreach by tech provider; USW & NAWG to provide guidance, assistance, resources 6)Demonstrated stewardship of technology 7)Value capture model = certified seed system

Policy Focus in 2015 Research: TCAP, NWIC Research Fly Inn Protecting Crop Ins & Farm Bill Changes APHIS GMO Wheat Announcement Environmental regulation- Sustainability Trade & Transportation Start Proactive Planning for Farm Bill 2019

Risk Management Programs Goal: Protect and Improve crop insurance programs –Maintain & Increase Coverage –Risk Management Tools –Flexibility

Risk Management Programs Goal: Improve U.S. transportation infrastructure –Rail access, rates, and service –Waterways –Roadway farm to market interstate/intrastate

Risk Management Programs Risk management for wheat growers from 2014 Farm Bill –Quantify how new federal farm programs address needs –Begin discussions with agricultural organizations about goals, respecting differences, agreeing on common ground –Build coalitions around common goals

Industry Coordination Timing is everything. When biotech wheat is ready, the entire industry needs to be ready. Wheat Innovation Alliance Seedsman FarmerHandlerExporterMillerBaker

Society’s Expectations of Food Producers More food on fewer acres with less water and less energy –Air and water quality –Wildlife habitat Sustainability –Environmental health, stewardship –Social and economic equity with prosperous farming communities –Farm profitability Photo by Sarah Heller, 2009 Kansas Wheat Commission State Fair Photo Contest

THE PURPOSE OF NAWG FOUNDATION

Strategic Planning Process Foundation is 36 years old; non-profit charitable organization; 501(c) 3 Recent activities include building ownership and leadership programs Bringing together the wheat industry is great (WIA) Planning & Evaluation Studies & Analysis

Our Goal New strategic direction to add value to state and national wheat grower organizations by enhancing impact and increasing influence

NATIONAL WHEAT FOUNDATION V ISION The national center for wheat research information, education and outreach M ISSION S TATEMENT To purposefully advance the wheat industry through strategic research, education and outreach collaborations

Looking to the Future Add value through: –Collaborations –Leveraging resources Dual advisory board structure will allow a broader base for input and decision making –Research collaborations between state farmer groups –Education and outreach collaborations between states, industry and other wheat chain organizations

I want & need your help! Thank you Jim Palmer NAWG CEO & NWF Exec. Director Phone: x1 Cell: Personal: Home: Wife (Susan) Susan’s