Ripper continued at second place in the variety poll at 10.1 percent, down slightly from 12.1 percent last year. Tam 111, Bill Brown, Bond CL, Snowmass, Above, Jagalene, Prairie Red, and Settler CL rounded out the top ten varieties. Bill Brown, Bond CL, Snowmass, Above, and Prairie Red are all CSU-developed varieties. Snowmass jumped from thirteenth place last year to a sixth place ranking this year.

Hatcher was developed by the CSU wheat breeding program and was released in 2004. Ripper was released in 2006. Bill Brown was released in 2007. Snowmass was released in 2009. The CSU wheat breeding program is partially funded by Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee (CWAC) assessment funds, and by royalties returned from certified seed sales of CWRF wheat varieties.

“CSU continues to release excellent wheat varieties that are developed with Colorado growing conditions in mind,” said CWAC President Tom Neira, Bennett. “After dry conditions for planting in 2010 we still saw above-average yields. These new and improved varieties help keep farmers in business.”

To read the full report, visit: http://bit.ly/2012wheatvar.

U.S. Drought monitor – not much change for Colo. from last week. http://bit.ly/J1i8Aj Scroll down on the page for 6-week and 12-week histories.

News Release – 2012 Colorado Winter Wheat Crop Projected Better Than Last Year, 10-Year Average http://bit.ly/LsdiNC

CSU Extension Agriculture & Business Management Economists have published their Custom Rates for Colorado Farms & Ranches in 2011. http://bit.ly/IALIf9

Researchers have New Tool For Tracking Russian Wheat Aphids http://1.usa.gov/IKPeHI

15 Sweet Breakfast In Bed Recipes To Make For Mother’s Day (or any day you want a tasty treat!): If there was ever a day to pamper your mother with some extra TLC, it’d be Mother’s Day, right? (Most of these contain wheat!) We say, let her sleep in late while you whip up one of these delicious, sweet breakfast treats. From easy homemade doughnuts to pancakes, granola, and muffins, here are 15 breakfast in bed recipes sure to show your mother how much you love her. And if you’re lucky, maybe she’ll share. http://bit.ly/J1SBIh

The Colorado winter wheat crop estimate of 92,250,000 can go up or down from now until harvest based on whether Colorado receives timely rain. Many farmers anticipate harvest will start early this year, beginning perhaps as early as mid-June in the southeastern part of the state, where harvest would typically start at the end of June.

It’s rhubarb season! The Colo. Dept of Ag suggests rhubarb bread pudding – what is your favorite rhubarb recipe?  http://1.usa.gov/ItGsyc

Healthy Kansas wheat crop on track for early harvest http://yhoo.it/IH4u2Q

Weather dominates wheat market http://bit.ly/IDyeTq

MAJORITY OF FARMERS RESPONDING TO BASF SURVEY CONFIRM GLYPHOSATE RESISTANCE  http://bit.ly/JEbMag

Congressman Cory Gardner Town Hall Meetings May 11 and 14: http://bit.ly/ItWoLp

April 30 is Oatmeal Cookie Day! The 2008 KS Wheat Commission recipe booklet includes a recipe for Whole Grain Oatmeal Cookies with whole wheat flour!  http://bit.ly/J51xuL

Book review: White Bread: A Social History of the Store-Bought Loaf. http://bit.ly/IoCC7L

Status: The bill has passed the House of Representatives and was assigned to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources

Good afternoon Madame Chair, members of the committee.

My name is Randy Traxler. I am a farmer from Otis, Colo., and am the President of the Colorado Association of Wheat Growers. I am here this afternoon to testify in favor of House Bill 1037 – a bill that would classify certain agricultural compounds as wholesale sales rather than retail sales.

Wheat is grown, on average, on 2 million acres in Colorado with production in 2011 of 78 million bushels, which generated 552 million dollars for the Colorado economy. Herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, which we consider raw inputs, are essential to this success. These compounds are essential to the growing and production of an end product. They are essential tools used by farmers to maximize yields, allowing us to help feed Colorado, the U.S. populous and the world. Colorado Wheat understands that these inputs are basic to the production of food and fiber.

House Bill 1037 essentially would continue to clarify that certain agricultural compounds are exempt from sales taxation – a debate that has continued for the past three years. These compounds are essential inputs used in the production of a raw commodity. A commodity that is NOT taxed, even as it leaves the farm gate.

As we saw two years ago when House Bill 1195 passed, there was an estimate it would generate 4.6 million dollars for the state of Colorado. It fell short of that. Last year House Bill 1105 passed and reinstated the tax-exempt status for ag compounds at the state level.

With the passage of House bill 1037, you, the General Assembly, as a policy matter will settle the question as to whether ag compounds will, like many other items, be exempt from taxation. Again, they are essential inputs into a process. A process where the final product isn’t taxed until further down the production line, and in the case of Colorado, is not even taxed at the grocery store because we believe it is more important that something as essential as food is affordable to everyone, despite what revenue it may generate to the state or to a county or a municipality.

We ask you to support House Bill 1037.

Thank you Madame Chair. I’d be happy to answer any questions the committee may have.

May 11, 2012

WHAT: Kit Carson County Town Meeting
WHEN: May 11th from 10am to 11am
WHERE: VFW building in Burlington

May 14, 2012

WHAT: Washington County Town Meeting
WHEN: May 14th from 7am to 8am
WHERE: Washington Co Event Center in Akron
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WHAT: Sedgwick County Town Meeting
WHEN: May 14th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm
WHERE: Sedgwick County Court House Annex in Julesburg (Located on the South side of the Court House, 118 W. 3rd St)