The North Dakota Grain Growers Association met with top USDA officials and members of North Dakota’s congressional delegation last week in Washington.

The group had a full slate of meetings that touched on water management issues, prevented planting, market facilitation program payments, trade concerns and cover crop requirements.

On Wednesday, the NDGGA met with officials from the U.S. Government Affairs for Crop Protection
and the Canadian Embassy. They also met with the heads of several USDA divisions including RMA
Administrator Martin Barbre, FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce and NRCS Chief Matthew Lohr.
Thursday the group met with Senator John Hoeven, Representative Kelly Armstrong and Senator
Kevin Cramer’s Legislative Assistant Bree Vculek.

NDGGA President Jeff Mertz, who was joined on the trip by Immediate Past President John Weinand
and First Vice President Dennis Haugen, said the meetings were a great opportunity to inform key
policy makers about the concerns of North Dakota farmers. “Being able to come to Washington and
meet personally with so many decision makers is already a positive for North Dakota agriculture,”
Mertz said. “The fact that all our meetings were very productive, and we felt our concerns were heard
and addressed just shows how important it is for us to keep providing this representation to farmers in
our state. It’s good to see our work making a positive impact on policy on a national level.”