LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN - March 9, 2003

CORRECTION TO MARCH 7 BULLETIN

The proposed amendments to the Wheat Commission checkoff bill, HB 1486, would increase the checkoff by 2 mills, from 10 to 12, with 3 mills going into a fund for Grain Growers and Durum Growers memberships.  Our March 7 bulletin incorrectly said the amendments proposed a 3-mill increase to 13 mills.  The amendments are still in the Senate Ag Committee and have not been acted on.  

However, as the bill now stands, without those proposed amendments, the increase is 5 mills, from 10 to 15, with 4 mills earmarked for the grower groups.  If all this is clear as mud, you might better understand the opposition to having a checkoff promotion commission collect membership dues dollars for private organizations.  You might also identify with how the writer of these bulletins got mixed up with numbers.   Sorry for the confusion.

At most, about 8% of wheat growers in North Dakota are members of the Grain Growers and/or Durum Growers.  Do you want to collect membership dues for these organizations, through the wheat checkoff, for those among the 92% of your wheat-growing customers who have not voluntarily joined?  If your answer is NO, then make your feelings known ASAP to the Senate Ag Committee and all State Senators.  The Committee might vote on this bill as early as Monday.

_______________________________________

On another matter, the hearing on SB 2358, the railroad lease and indemnification bill, is Thursday March 13 at 9 a.m. in the House Transportation Committee.  The testimony NDGDA presented on this over on the Senate side is on www.ndgda.org.   If any of you have additional examples of rail lease or site purchase problems, or situations where your elevator had to pay for damages the railroad caused, please send them to the Grain Dealers office ASAP.  Best way is email to sstrege@ndgda.org.  Fax to 701-235-1026 works too.  At least one railroad has been sending stern letters to lessees and others, including to some rural electric cooperatives and rural water systems, about this bill.  Your Association has not seen the letters to the utilities, but they likely deal with utility crossings of rail lines.  Initial reaction appears to be a stiffening of resolve that legislation is needed to balance the interests between railroads and lessees or others.  This hearing promises to be interesting, and is open to the public, so come on in if you can.  It will be held in the Fort Totten Room, ground floor of State Capitol, north side of corridor toward west end.