NFU Blog

Trevor Jensen, of Owatonna, Minn., will be attending NFU’s National Convention next week for the very first time. Trevor will also be serving as a delegate for Minnesota Farmers Union. Both Trevor and his wife Vicki are very involved in Farmers Union, and Trevor is excited to be attending the convention this year.

“I feel that it is vital for all members attending the convention take the opportunity to learn and understand the challenges that face other areas of the country so when we vote on policy we keep our minds open to the effects that those decisions have on everyone,” Trevor said.

Trevor was born and raised on a crop and livestock farm near Windom, Minn., where he lived until moving to Owatonna in 2002. After college, Trevor continued to farm with his father and brother while also working off the farm, but the family soon realized there was not enough land to support three families. Trevor decided to focus his efforts on his insurance career, and was thrilled to be able to use his insurance expertise to help other farmers at the Minnesota Farmers Union Insurance Agency. His father and brother continue to farm the family land, and Trevor loves returning home during the spring and fall to help with planting and harvesting, running equipment and hauling grain.

(more…)

The 2008 NFU Policy Committee, consisting of members from across the country, met in Washington, D.C., Jan 7-9 to consider changes and amendments to NFU’s policy. The committee will reconvene at convention March 2-4 to make final 2008 policy decisions. Their recommendations will be voted on by delegates to the convention before being adopted.

Susan Frazier, committee chairwoman, and her husband Richard, both grew up in farming and ranching families. They currently live in the Sandhills area of Nebraska, where they have owned a farm for more than 20 years. The Fraziers grow irrigated white corn and soybeans, and had a small cow-calf herd until a few years ago. The couple have two children. Susan has been an activist for family farm agriculture for many years and is honored to be this year’s Policy Committee chairwoman.

(more…)

On January 15, the FDA announced the findings of the department’s final risk assessment for the consumption of cloned animal products. The FDA’s announcement that food from cloned animals is safe to eat will likely pave the way for these products to soon be available to consumers.

While many people feel cloning animals has moral, ethical or social implications, the safety of consuming this food should certainly be studied further. The long-term effects of eating products from cloned animals are still unknown. Also, in light of recent food safety scares, many consumers have become disenchanted with the FDA’s procedures and decisions.

NFU’s e-newsletter recently asked about human consumption of products from cloned animals, as well as whether or not those products should be labeled. One consumer said, “Knowing the FDA’s history, I don’t trust these products have been adequately tested for consumer safety.”

So is this country ready for more food that could be risky or dangerous to our health? If cloned products do enter the market, they should be labeled as such to allow consumers to make an informed decision about what they eat and where it comes from. Along with implementing mandatory COOL, USDA should extend mandatory labeling procedures to food that comes from cloned animals or their offspring.

Another respondent to our poll said, “Why consume cloned product when natural is available?”

Assuming that products from cloned animals and their offspring are safe to eat, is it even necessary to clone animals for human consumption? There are plenty of farms in this country who are willing and able to provide natural animals and animal products to our consumers. The only people that stand to benefit from a closed-door cloned animal product operation are large corporations.

Harriet Lavin grew up in Lowell, Mass., and now lives in Kansasville, Wis., population 2,832 (read: number is approximate). Needless to say, Harriet has found herself to be a displaced city girl…all in the name of love.

Harriet left the east coast to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she met her husband Barney. The two traveled Europe and Africa after graduation before settling permanently in Barney’s hometown, where he now is the fifth generation working on his family’s farm. The Lavins grow corn, soybeans and hay and raise beef cattle. Harriet is a registered nurse and works at a local hospital.

The Lavins got involved in Farmers Union a few years ago. A political activist friend encouraged Barney to help establish a local Wisconsin Farmers Union group. Barney took his friend up on the offer, helped found a southeast WFU chapter and now serves as the Secretary/Treasurer. While Harriet does not do the farming in the family, she will be giving a presentation at this weekend’s annual WFU convention in Eau Claire as well as at the youth event being held in conjunction with the convention. The presentation will not be about farming, or even about a city girl moving to the countryside, rather Harriet will be talking about genocide, rape, refugee camps and how we can help.

(more…)