2020 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention Canceled

The coronavirus pandemic continues to leave its mark on Northwest Ag. The wheat growers from Washington, Oregon and Idaho announced Tuesday the cancelation of the 2020 Tri-State grain growers convention in Coeur d’Alene.

Michelle Hennings, Executive Director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, says there were two key issues leaders considered before announcing the cancelation. First, which phase each state is in when it comes to its respective reopening plan.

“It also comes down to the uncertainty of our financial situation.  When we start working on convention, we start or even before that, and we start security speakers and we start securing sponsors.  And we have noticed that maybe some of those sponsors don’t plan to partake in conventions or those types of events this year.”

While so much still remains in the air, Hennings said the current plan is to meet together in a “typical” meeting in Spokane in 2021, and then return to Coeur d’Alene in 2022.

“This was a very hard decision for us to make, but with the current circumstances, we needed to do what was best for the organization.”

Will there be an on-line convention for Tri-State growers this year?

Hennings said each state has business they need to conduct, which includes policy work, so Washington, Oregon and Idaho are each in the planning phase of perhaps holding meetings on-line, and allowing membership to Zoom to participate.

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