NFU Blog

If there is a group or organization that represents local agriculture, Gretel Norgeot is probably a member. Gretel and her family live in Orleans, Cape Cod, Mass., and are deeply involved in promoting local agriculture every single day, either through farmers’ markets, local garden clubs, school groups or community gardens.

Gretel and her husband, Jeff, became members of the New England Farmers Union chapter when it joined the Farmers Union family last December. For several years before NEFU was formed, NFU was working closely with the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association (CCCHFA). The Norgeots became involved with the new chapter because Jeff was on the Policy Committee of CCCHFA last year when NEFU formed.

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By Maria Miller Gordon, Ohio Farmers Union

Americans are able to enjoy quality, affordable food over the holidays, thanks to farmers like Jim Zumbrink from Darke County, Ohio. Jim along with his wife Diana, son Scott, son-in-law Bryan and brother John, raise around seven batches of tom turkeys per year.

In the 1990s, the Zumbrink family looked to diversify. “The agricultural economy was depressed and we looked for another source of income from our farm,” explains Jim. He found the answer by diversifying with poultry. Ohio’s turkey industry ranks 11th in the nation, has a production value of more than $510 million and is the fastest growing sector of animal agriculture.

For nearly two decades, Jim has raised tukeys for Cooper Farms in his family’s 40 x 320 foot barn. Cooper Farms, headquartered in northwest Ohio, is one of the largest family-owned turkey processing companies in the nation.

The young turkeys arrive at the Zumbrink farm from Cooper’s hatchery when they are only 24 hours old. Jim and his crew are known as “starter” farmers; the birds are raised from birth to 5 weeks of age. They are then finished, or raised to market, by another producer.

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By Tom Buis, National Farmers Union President

The farm bill unanimously approved Oct. 25 by the Senate Agriculture Committee is a good, fiscally responsible bill that includes record investments in conservation, nutrition, renewable energy development and specialty crop programs. America’s family farmers, ranchers, rural residents and consumers stand to benefit.

The Senate farm bill also contains a permanent disaster assistance program to aid producers affected by devastating weather conditions out of their control; allows for interstate shipment of state-inspected meat so producers can sell their high-quality products to their neighbors across state lines; and, after repeated delays, includes a means to implement mandatory country-of-origin labeling, giving our nation’s consumers the right to know where their food comes from.

Continue reading Tom’s Op-Ed that appeared the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Nov. 30.