News Release – Gardner Wheat Tour Scheduled for May 31

May 16, 2013, Fort Collins, Colo. – The Colorado Association of Wheat Growers (CAWG) and the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee (CWAC) will host the third annual Gardner Wheat Tour on Friday, May 31, 2013.  The wheat tour will include events in Baca and Prowers counties, and is an opportunity for wheat farmers to meet and talk with U.S. Congressman Cory Gardner (R-4th).

Gardner’s large Fourth Congressional District includes 17 major winter wheat producing counties on the Eastern Plains. In 2012, the district accounted for 97.1 percent of Colorado’s total wheat production, valued at an estimated $584.4 million.

“It is especially important for Congressman Gardner to visit the southern counties of his district this year, as they are still in a severe drought situation. Areas north of I-70 have received some moisture, but the southern part of our state is really hurting,” said CAWG President Mark Linnebur, “This will be a great opportunity for those producers who won’t actually harvest any wheat this year because of the drought to discuss the situation with the Congressman.”

“Congress is beginning to consider the farm bill again this month, so it is a key time for the Congressman to see what is happening in Colorado,” Linnebur said, “We will be emphasizing the need for a strong safety net for wheat farmers through the crop insurance program.”

Colorado wheat producers are invited to attend and participate in the following events scheduled on Friday, May 31:

A lunch program with Prowers County area wheat farmers will begin at 11:45 a.m. at the Steve Shelton farm located 9 miles south of Lamar on Highway 287 and ½ mile west on CR X. Please RSVP by calling the wheat office at 1-800-WHEAT-10 or 970-449-6994.

A dinner program with Baca County area wheat producers will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Baca Crop Care (26322 U.S. Highway 160 in Springfield). Please RSVP by calling Baca Crop Care at (719) 523-1951.

Gardner will also tour Prowers County and Baca County wheat fields.

The first wheat tour with the Fourth District representative was in 1991, with Wayne Allard (R, 1991-1997), and the tradition continued with wheat tours for Bob Schaffer (R, 1997-2003), Marilyn Musgrave (R, 2003-2009), Betsy Markey (D, 2009-2011), and now Congressman Gardner.

For more information about the Gardner Wheat Tour please call 1-800-WHEAT-10, or visit www.coloradowheat.org. CAWG and CWAC are two distinctly separate organizations with different, but complimentary purposes. CAWG is a voluntary membership association that lobbies on behalf of wheat growers at the state and national levels of government and provides special programs and benefits to dues paying members. CWAC is the producer-elected Board of Control for the Colorado Wheat Marketing Order whose purpose is to decide how assessment funds are to be spent for research, promotion and education activities.

congressmand cory gardner wheat tour

Photo:  Congressman Cory Gardner (R.-4th) visits the Randy Wilks farm near Burlington on the 2012 Wheat Tour. Front row, left to right, CWAC Secretary/Treasurer Randy Wilks,  Burlington, Congressman Gardner, CAWG Past President Randy Traxler, Otis, and CAWG Director Chris Tallman, Brandon; back row: CWAC Vice President Steve Beedy, Genoa, and CAWG President Mark Linnebur, Byers.

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