American agriculture pulled together this week to thank farmers as the country preps for its national day of eating and expressing gratitude.

Ten major agricultural organizations will gear up for the continuation of the lame duck session with a press conference next Tuesday to stress the importance of meaningful estate tax reform.

NAWG Second Vice President Erik Younggren represented wheat producers at last week’s Field to Market plenary meeting in North Carolina, which focused on the goal of quantifying farmers’ efforts to use less to produce more.

Members of Congress arrived back in D.C. this week after a long election-period recess to begin establishing leadership for the coming years and assess what can be done before the 111th Congress adjourns.

Virginia Tech and Monsanto announced this week a collaboration they say will help both parties improve their wheat breeding programs and varieties.

Growers and others can now go online to www.commodityclassic.com to register for Commodity Classic and secure hotel rooms available through the Classic housing bureau.

The co-chairmen of a debt commission tasked with addressing the United States’ massive and growing budget deficit released a draft proposal this week that would cut $3 billion per year from farm program spending as part of an effort to achieve nearly $4 trillion in deficit reduction through 2020.

NAWG joined a coalition of 30 agricultural organizations in writing Members of Congress this week to urge action to create a workable, permanent estate tax policy.

Applications for the third round of funding from Monsanto’s Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars Program are being accepted now through Feb. 1, 2011.

The House and Senate Agriculture Committees will have new leadership in January following midterm elections Tuesday that promise to dramatically change the power dynamic in Washington.

The Kansas City Board of Trade (KCBOT) Board of Directors approved on Thursday a series of measures meant to address the lack of convergence between wheat futures prices and cash prices received by farmers.

Grower-leaders from NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates will head to Kansas City, Mo., next week for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s convention and its hallmark interview fair, Trade Talk.