The NAWG officers were joined by Sen. Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Ag Spending more time with his family is one of his priorities as Penner retires from his Committee, following a productive discussion about issues important to the wheat in- position as NAWG president. Courtesy photos dustry. Made from scratch: outgoing NAWG president Paul Penner recalls his work on wheat By Julia Debes eration is mostly no-till and actively involved in the ef- consuming, but the lessons their livelihoods, they were short of their own ag educa- Kansas wheat farmer Paul includes wheat, corn, soy- fort to create Heartland Plant learned from working with able to get the legislation tion. Penner is equally likely to beans and hay, in addition to Innovations, the for-profit wheat farmers in 22 states is passed. “They are not going to be share updates from Capitol an occasional rotation of company developed by worth it. “It was a big struggle to naïve about where their food Hill or pictures of his grand- sorghum. Kansas wheat farmers to “It is amazing the amount get that through,” he said. “It comes from. I want to instill kids. While Penner will soon Penner started attending provide advanced plant of knowledge you can ac- really brought a lot of farm- all of this love of agriculture retire as president of the Na- local Kansas Association of breeding services for wheat quire if you are observant,” ers together.” and food in them. I hope it is tional Association of Wheat Wheat Growers (KAWG) and other crops, now spe- he said. “It really broadens That unification means infectious,” he proclaimed. Growers (NAWG) following meetings in the mid-1980s. cializing in doubled hap- your horizons.” even more for the wheat “Even if they do not become the 2015 Commodity Clas- One particular meeting in loids. Beyond personal lessons, community. Penner said that farmers, I want them to be sic, he has served as a strong Great Bend piqued his inter- “I was on the ground Penner said he appreciates working for the national aware of all the tremendous advocate for Kansas farmers est in getting more involved floor when the company the impact that grassroots wheat industry can be more opportunities to work in the during his tenure as both a in the organization. started,” he said. “It will action can have on policy. challenging than for other food industry.” state and national officer. “I raised my hand and continue to bring tears to my For example, he proudly re- commodities as wheat is Echoing his agvocacy in “Three words come to asked if I could contribute eyes when I think about it.” called helping advocate on grown across the country his own family, Penner mind when I think of Paul: and they said sure,” he said, After thoughtful discus- Capitol Hill for the farm dis- and each wheat class and called for the next generation thoughtful, sincere and artic- adding that after the meeting sions with his wife and other aster aid package passed in growing region has its own of wheat industry leaders to ulate,” said Michael Jordan, was over, the chair asked if wheat industry leaders, Pen- 2006. issues and concerns. make consumer education president of the Kansas As- Penner would be interested ner decided to jump to serv- Just a year after Hurri- “The wheat industry is the next top priority for agri- sociation of Wheat Growers in filling an unexpired term. ing on the NAWG board and cane Katrina, Penner said the more fractured than other culture. (KAWG), from Beloit. “I He did and eventually then running for the officer farm community was work- commodities,” he said. “To “As I move into the sun- have enjoyed the opportuni- worked his way up to run- team. He was elected secre- ing on a $4 billion aid pack- get all six classes unified on set of my tenure as a NAWG ty to work with him for more ning for the officer team. tary-treasurer in 2011 and age for farmers hit hard by a an issue is a remarkable feat officer, the future is chal- than a decade and appreciate Penner said he lost the first subsequently served as sec- years-long drought. He re- by itself.” lenging and encouraging,” his efforts.” election by one vote to an ond vice president and first membered the White House Looking Forward he said. “We are going to Starting from Scratch opponent who shared his vice president before being called it inflationary, and When asked about what have to find ways to relate Penner and his wife Deb- campaign slogan, “I’m not elected as president in 2014. Congress had just passed re- his plans are after turning agriculture to people who are orah started farming in the the best choice; the other guy Broadening His Wheat lief aid for those affected by over the gavel, Penner sim- generations removed from late 1970s, but did not inher- is.” Horizons the hurricane. Still, Penner ply replied, “Visiting grand- the farm and communicate it or buy into an existing op- He ran unopposed the Penner said that serving said that once Congress kids.” that farmers are stewards of eration. Today, Penner farms next year and became a as an officer in the national learned from farmers about He has three, and he their land and take their job 1,000 acres of his own KAWG officer. Penner was wheat organization is time- the impact it was having on promises that they are not seriously.” ground and custom farms another 1,500 to 2,000 acres for other small area farmers in Marion and Dickinson Supreme Court finds Nebraska counties. The diversified op- liable for ‘reckless’ water use The U.S. Supreme Court recently found Nebraska “recklessly” over- deters future violations, and promotes the Compact’s successful adminis- used Republican River water in 2005 and 2006, and the court took the un- tration.” precedented step of ordering Nebraska to give up a portion of its unjust Schmidt noted that the Supreme Court never before had ordered dis- economic gains from keeping and using Kansas water, Attorney General gorgement of an upstream state’s unjust gains as a remedy in an interstate Derek Schmidt said. water dispute. In a 28-page majority opinion, the court unanimous agreed that Ne- “Legally, this is a groundbreaking case that vindicates Kansas’s rights braska “knowingly” violated the Republican River Compact and took as a downstream state,” Schmidt said. “We brought this lawsuit to encour- water that belonged to Kansas. As a remedy, the Supreme Court ordered by age our neighbors to live up to their obligations in future dry periods. I’m a 6-3 vote that Nebraska not only must pay Kansas’ actual damages from hopeful this strong and clear Supreme Court order will have that effect.” loss of water during those two dry years but also must “disgorge” a portion The Supreme Court ordered Nebraska to repay Kansas $3.7 million to of the economic gain Nebraska received from higher yields from irrigating compensate for Kansas’s actual economic losses during 2005-06 and an- crops with water that should have been sent downstream to Kansas. other $1.8 million as partial disgorgement of Nebraska’s unjust gains from “Nebraska recklessly gambled with Kansas’s rights, consciously disre- illegally using Kansas water. That $5.5 million recovery will be used to garding a substantial probability that its actions would deprive Kansas of fully reimburse the attorney general’s office for its roughly $4.5 million in the water to which it was entitled,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the bringing the lawsuit and defending Kansas water rights, making the state court’s majority. “That is nearly a recipe for breach (of the Compact that of Kansas whole for its cost of litigation. The remainder will be available governs sharing of Republican River water) —for an upstream state to re- to the legislature to designate for other purposes as provided by law. fuse to deliver to its downstream neighbor the water to which the latter is The Supreme Court also ordered technical changes to the calculation of entitled. And through 2006, Nebraska took full advantage of its favorable future water flows from the Platte River basin into the Republican River position, eschewing steps that would effectively control groundwater basin as requested by Nebraska. The decision to order that reformation of pumping and thus exceeding its allotment. In such circumstances, a dis- the accounting procedure was 5-4. gorgement award appropriately reminds Nebraska of its legal obligations, Page 2 Grass & Grain, March 3, 2015 ing change, care for the ited. Farmers constantly land continues to improve. chart rainfall amounts and Today’s farmers are in- monitor weather condi- creasing the amount of or- tions. ganic matter in their soil. In Kansas, agricultural With the advent of no-till producers are aware of and reduced tillage farm- changes in the Ogallala ing, farmers continue to Aquifer. They understand Agriculture can do the job build organic matter and the navigable waters issue The new dietary guide- doesn’t appear to be about improve the soil. There is because of its wide-ranging line recommendations are what’s in the best interest By John Schlageck, is one that has continued no reason to believe this impact on farmland and Kansas Farm Bureau for decades – maybe since practice will be discontin- farming. They understand out and it appears as of the population’s health, Agriculture is losing pro- the beginning of this noble ued. the importance of clean though politics were as but instead about what fur- ducers.