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WHEAT GROWERS, CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE ORGANIZING TSUNAMI AID. National wheat organizations and the California Department of Food and Agriculture have structured separate opportunities to provide assistance to victims of the huge tsunami that devastated coastal areas surrounding the Indian Ocean. The catastrophe, unleashed by a magnitude-9.0 undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean, has so far claimed the lives of more than 150,000 and left millions homeless and without food or water, according to latest reports.

 The four national wheat organizations -- U.S. Wheat Associates, the Wheat Export Trade Education Committee, the National Association of Wheat Growers, and the Wheat Foods Council -- have organized a fundraising opportunity for American wheat producers, industry colleagues and any other member of the public to make financial contributions directly to the NAWG Foundation, noting that the donation should be directed to "Tsunami Relief."

 The collected funds will be used for the production and distribution of high energy biscuits for dislocated populations in tsunami-affected areas. The Foundation will work with U.S. Wheat Associates staff in South Asia, who will ensure that the funds are appropriately used for relief efforts. All funds raised will go directly to buying and distributing food.

 Taxpayers who itemize deductions may claim on their 2004 tax returns charitable donations made during January 2005 for relief of the victims of the Indian Ocean Tsunami.  A new law enacted on January 7 allows these donations to be deduced as if they were made on December 31, 2004. Contributions made to the NAWG Foundation are tax deductible.  Additional information is available at the CAWG office or on the NAWG website at www.wheatworld.org.

 The California Department of Food and Agriculture, in partnership with the Friends of the World Food Program, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, has set up the California Agriculture Tsunami Relief Fund and is encouraging farmers and ranchers to send monetary donations to the Friends of the World Food Program.

 Monetary Donations: Food aid organizations are in desperate need of monetary donations, said CDFA officials. These donations are used to provide needed supplies in and near the disaster area. Donations also are used to help rebuild infrastructure and develop transportation and distribution systems.

 California farmers and ranchers can donate to the relief fund by going to the Web site www.friendsofwfp.org or send a check directly to Friends of the World Food Program, P.O. Box 11856, Washington, D.C. 20008. Those writing checks should indicate in the memo portion of the check the name of the fund: “California Agriculture Tsunami Relief Fund.”

 Commodity Donations & Sales: As an alternative, farmers and ranchers who are interested in donating or selling at cost perishable or nonperishable agricultural commodities may register an available commodity by going to http://lolo.cidi.org/input/dscmd.htm. Aid agencies will then view the information, and if that commodity is needed, the agency will contact that person directly.

  "California's farmers and ranchers are now faced with yet another calling to do what we do best to help support the daily living needs of our fellow mankind, even if that help stretches around the globe," said A.G. Kawamura, CDFA secretary.

 DISASTER PROGRAM FOR AGRICULTURE MOVES FORWARD. Farmers who experienced weather-related crop disasters in 2003 or 2004 may benefit from the disaster relief program soon to be available through their local FSA office. Direct payments will be made on yield and quality losses greater than 35 percent for either year, but not both. CAWG has urged Congressional approval of such a program since 2003 when the impact of the stripe rust disaster on California wheat farmers became known. Signups are expected to begin in March, according to Jeff Yasui of the state FSA office in Davis. Mr. Yasui attended the recent California Wheat Commission meeting to explain the program.

 In other disaster news, The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated Tehama County as a primary disaster area on Dec. 28, 2004, due to dry, windy weather that occurred from March 12, 2004, through March 31, 2004. Also eligible because they are contiguous are Butte, Glenn, Mendocino, Plumas, Shasta and Trinity Counties. County disaster declarations may qualify affected growers for low-interest emergency loans. Growers may also qualify for disaster payments under the program described above.

 COMMODITY ASSESSMENT BILL UPDATE. Now that HR 4620 has been passed, our attention turns to securing timely implementation of the new authority. We are working with our national groups and through our Congressional representatives to urge USDA to get the new MOU’s in place before May 1, 2005 to ensure the timely collection of assessments in California.

 JOHANNS SAILS THROUGH COMMITTEE HEARING. Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns, the Bush Administration’s nominee to become Secretary of Agriculture, sailed through his Senate Agriculture Committee hearing Thursday. He was welcomed and supported by both Democrats and Republicans, and in an unexpected move, the Committee voted on his nomination the same day.  Normal protocol is for the vote to take place at a separate meeting when the nominee is not present.

 In introducing Johanns, Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel (R) described him as an individual who offers creative leadership for new market opportunities. Johanns has led a number of trade missions on behalf of Nebraska products, and stated several times during the confirmation hearing his priority on opening markets to US agricultural exports. He has also been directly involved in a number of efforts related to drought response, including co-leading a Western Governors Association effort on national drought monitoring.

 Johanns spoke in support of biotechnology in agriculture, saying it opens the door to greater gains in productivity.  He pointed to the dramatic increase in corn yields since his days growing up on an Iowa dairy farm as a prime example of the power of new technology.  He also strongly espoused science-based regulatory policy, which is critical in resolving a number of trade issues and in working toward commercialization of biotechnology products.

 The topic of BSE was brought up several times in the hearing, with some Senators questioning the timing of USDA’s announcement to reopen the Canadian border, new information from Canada on feed testing, and the importance of reopening US beef exports to Japan.  Johanns emphatically stated there will be no letup or slowdown in the efforts to reopen the Japanese market to US beef.  Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) noted that Tyson Foods is closing beef processing plants because of the contraction in demand with the loss of the Japanese market. Full Senate confirmation of Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture is expected later in January.

 Outgoing Secretary Ann Veneman may be appointed to head UNICEF, the United Nations children’s agency, according to press reports.