Wheat Group Overhaul Underway,
Prompted By Kansas Producers

WICHITA, Kan. — Cattle and sheep organizations aren't the only groups coming under fire from dissatisfied producers. The nation's largest wheat lobbying group, plagued by overspending and mismanagement, has instituted a series of belt-tightening moves under pressure from Kansas growers.

The National Association of Wheat Growers, based in Washington, D.C., announced Monday staff and expenditure cutbacks as well as aggressive new fiscal oversight.

``We feel vindicated,'' said John Thaemert, secretary for the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers.

The NAWG reorganization underscores a long-simmering dispute between the national group and its powerful Kansas delegation. NAWG, composed of member groups from wheat producing states, has been involved with the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers in a four-year fight over the national group's fiscal accountability, Thaemert said.

Kansas, the nation's leading wheat producing state, comprises one of the top three membership organizations in the national umbrella group.

Relations had deteriorated to the point where the Kansas group was withholding a share of its membership dues until it got a greater accountability of expenditures by the national group.

``It is unfortunate it had to be, but we foresaw this and complained about this for some time,'' Thaemert said. ``Other member states are now realizing that Kansas was right in calling for accountability of the national association and a change of staff.''

NAWG said in a news release Monday that it was facing an estimated $90,000 deficit by June, and its foundation a $98,973 deficit.

It said it was reducing staff and expenditures, and instituted several moves to get a handle on its finances. Among them was appointment of a budget committee, hiring an audit firm, and requiring expenses to be approved by its chief executive officer.

``Similar to what farmers are facing today with low prices, we at NAWG know that we must also tighten our belts and cut costs to get ourselves on track,'' NAWG President Jim Stonebrink said in a news release.

Stonebrink and other NAWG officials were in a board meeting all day Monday, and did not return several messages left by The Associated Press seeking comment.

But, in a telephone interview, Thaemert blamed the problems at the national group on mismanagement by previous staff and to NAWG employees being paid far too much for the work they were doing.

He also said an audit of NAWG books and finances was inaccurate, and showed a situation that was ``much rosier'' than the actual figures bore out.

``One of the biggest issues was the fact some of the staff had become entrenched and taken advantage of their position as officers, and that is being addressed,'' he said.

He credited NAWG executive director Jack Eberspacher, who has been on the job less than six months, for revealing the past financial problems and accounting for the association's funding.

The NAWG news release did not specify how many jobs would be cut, or how far back it was planning to cut expenditures. However, Thaemert said the layoffs would involve only one or two workers, and he did not know the specific figure on the expenditure cuts.

One option being looked at by the group is the sale of its Washington, D.C., building to generate funds, according to the release.

``As far as effects for producers and members, it will be very minimal,'' Thaemert said. ``This is more a matter of housecleaning.''