A Message From the President
Thursday, December 7th, 2006
As we prepare for this holiday season, I wanted to take a
chance to tell you about the wonderful feeling of optimism I
have noticed as I’ve traveled around the country this past week for state conventions.
There is a real shift in mood of the attendees at the last three conventions I’ve attended – in Montana, Rocky Mountain, and Minnesota the attendance was the largest I have seen, and the members are upbeat and optimistic about the future. I received numerous positive comments on our efforts to increase profitability from the marketplace through the promotion of fuels from the farm, as well as direct producer-to-consumer marketing, and our new carbon tading program.
While we still face numerous challenges, our future is bright!
I’ve also heard a tremendous amount of excitement that Senator Harkin and Representative Peterson will be taking over as chairs of the Senate and House agriculture committees. They are both friends of the family farmer, and will lead Congress in the right direction for rural America. For more on their plans, read this issue of NFU news.
This fall we’ve had to say goodbye to good leaders and NFU board members, as Brooks Dailey, John Stencel and Don Brainard ended their tenures as state presidents.
We’re sad to see them leave the board, but we’re hopeful about the future of our newest board members, Alaska Farmers Union President Robert Wells, Montana
Farmers Union President Alan Merrill, and Rocky Mountain Farmers Union President Kent Peppler.
Have a wonderful Holiday and New Year! 
