About the Washington Grain Commission
The Washington Grain Commission (WGC), effective July 27, 2009, was created through state legislation by merging the Washington Wheat Commision (WWC) and the Washington Barley Commission (WBC). The WWC and WBC were originally created by producers in 1958 and 1985, respectively, to fund industry self help programs through assessments on each bushel of wheat and barley sold.
The Washington Grain Commission is a self-governing agency of the State of Washington. The WGC enhances the profitability of Washington wheat and barley growers and meets ever-increasing market demands by:
- Providing leadership to the Washington wheat and barley industry
- Enhancing industry partnerships and public/private collaboration
- Bringing technology from the laboratory to the farm
The WGC board of directors is made up of eleven members, including seven producer members representing 20 eastern Washington counties, three representatives of allied industries, and one representative from the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The WGC allocates assessment funds to programs designed to enhance the production and marketing of Washington wheat and barley. Three major categories of funding include:
- Wheat Research
- Market Development
- Education and Information
The annual assessment on wheat in Washington is three-quarters of one percent of the net receipts at the first point of sale.
The annual assessment on barley in Washington is one percent of the net receipts at the first point of sale.
Assessments from wheat and barley and subsequent expenditures are tracked separately to prevent crossover of funds.
Commissioners
Hal Johnson, District I Wheat (Spokane, Lincoln, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille)
Randy Suess, District II Wheat (Whitman)
Nat Webb, District III Wheat (Columbia, Walla Walla, Garfield, Asotin)
Mike Miller, District IV Wheat (Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan)
Dana Herron, District V Wheat (Benton, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, Yakima)
Steve Claassen, District VI Barley (Whitman, Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, Walla Walla, Benton, Franklin, Klickitat, Yakima)
Thomas Zwainz, District VII Barley (Lincoln, Spokane, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Adams, Grant, Douglas, Okanogan, Chelan, Kittitas)
Kevin Whitehall, Wheat Industry Representative
Ty Jessup, Wheat Industry Representative
Vacant, Barley Industry Representative
Brad Avy, Washington State Dept. of Agriculture