By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Bees contribute to the economy and health of the environment. In addition to their notoriety for honey production, bees also provide the versatile substance known as beeswax, and they are imperative to 30 percent of the world’s crop production, pollinating many fruit, vegetable, and flower species, as well as 90 percent … Read More
By Matthew McKenna, Executive in Residence, Rural Opportunity Initiative, a program at Georgetown University’s Global Social Enterprise Initiative, part of the McDonough School of Business The United States has experienced an historic geographic imbalance in its recovery from the Great Recession. Rural America significantly lags the economic advances enjoyed by their more prosperous urban neighbors. … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union (NFU) Board of Directors today passed a resolution in opposition to the current state of the 2018 Farm Bill as passed by the House Agriculture Committee last week. The Board called on House members to make significant improvements to … Read More
By Hannah Ruth Tabler, NFU Intern Many beginning farmers, after earning enough experience to feel confident starting their own operation, cannot afford the high upfront costs associated with such an endeavor. At the same time, new producers often lack extensive credit history or adequate collateral for traditional loan providers. This makes it difficult to start … Read More
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Fire is often thought of as a destructive and uncontrollable natural disturbance, causing catastrophic damage to agricultural operations of all types. But did you know that fire can actually be used as a tool to protect and increase productivity on your land? Prescribed burning is an advanced land management technique … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – In a letter sent to President Donald Trump yesterday, twenty members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee urged the administration to support long-term solutions in the Farm Bill that would ensure an adequate farm safety net for family farmers and ranchers who … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of Senators today introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to provide mental health resources in rural America to address the alarmingly high rate of suicide amongst farmers and ranchers. The bill, Facilitating Accessible Resources for Mental Health and Encouraging … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – In a letter sent to President Donald Trump yesterday, twenty members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee urged the administration to support long-term solutions in the Farm Bill that would ensure an adequate farm safety net for family farmers and ranchers who … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of Senators today introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to provide mental health resources in rural America to address the alarmingly high rate of suicide amongst farmers and ranchers. The bill, Facilitating Accessible Resources for Mental Health and Encouraging … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 18, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. House Agriculture Committee today marked up the 2018 Farm Bill, H.R. 2, sending the bill to the full U.S. House of Representatives for its consideration. National Farmers Union (NFU), the nation’s second largest general farm organization, opposes the legislation as … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 18, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. House Agriculture Committee today marked up the 2018 Farm Bill, H.R. 2, sending the bill to the full U.S. House of Representatives for its consideration. National Farmers Union (NFU), the nation’s second largest general farm organization, opposes the legislation as … Read More
By Hannah Packman, NFU Communications Coordinator Although farmers and ranchers with all levels of experience rely on farm bill programs for technical and financial assistance, they are of particular importance to beginning farmers. Beginning farmers, by definition, do not have access to many of the same resources more established producers do. Most obviously, newcomers do … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 17, 2018 CONTACT National Farmers Union: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106, [email protected] American Farm Bureau Federation: Will Rodger, 202-406-3642, [email protected] WASHINGTON – The presidents of the nation’s two largest general farm organizations today visited the “Prescribed to Death” opioid memorial in Washington, D.C., in a show of unity to address the national opioid … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 17, 2018 CONTACT National Farmers Union: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106, [email protected] American Farm Bureau Federation: Will Rodger, 202-406-3642, [email protected] WASHINGTON – The presidents of the nation’s two largest general farm organizations today visited the “Prescribed to Death” opioid memorial in Washington, D.C., in a show of unity to address the national opioid … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy On the Climate Column, we have highlighted a number of climate-smart production and conservation practices for which farmers may receive technical and financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Congress authorizes NRCS to disperse this assistance to farmers through the … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway today released the heavily anticipated text of a new Farm Bill. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson thanked the committee for their work to put together a farm bill and encouraged Congress to work … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump today announced the administration would allow the year-round sale of E15, or gasoline blends comprised of 15 percent ethanol, which had previously been barred from being sold in the summer. National Farmers Union (NFU) applauded the President’s move and … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway today released the heavily anticipated text of a new Farm Bill. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson thanked the committee for their work to put together a farm bill and encouraged Congress to work … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump today announced the administration would allow the year-round sale of E15, or gasoline blends comprised of 15 percent ethanol, which had previously been barred from being sold in the summer. National Farmers Union (NFU) applauded the President’s move and … Read More
By Hannah Ruth Tabler, NFU Intern For beginning farmers, getting a foothold in the agriculture industry can be difficult. One of the foremost challenges facing beginning farmers today is a lack of access to appropriate markets. Many farmers, young and old, have turned to the cooperative business model to increase their profit and reap the … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As new, alternative “beef” products make their way onto grocery store shelves, National Farmers Union (NFU) is encouraging federal officials to establish labeling requirements that better inform consumers about the difference between beef products that come from cattle and those that were … Read More
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Communities across America depend on farmers and ranchers for a variety of provisions, and those producers’ livelihoods rely on being able to supply them. As uncontrollable environmental setbacks continue to occur with greater severity and frequency, farmers and ranchers should consider taking precautions to protect their operations from drastic losses. … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 9, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Farmers and ranchers commit suicide at a rate five times that of the general population. In an effort to address this crisis, National Farmers Union and a coalition of 36 prominent farm and rural advocacy groups are urging Congress to make mental … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 9, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Farmers and ranchers commit suicide at a rate five times that of the general population. In an effort to address this crisis, National Farmers Union and a coalition of 36 prominent farm and rural advocacy groups are urging Congress to make mental … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 4, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has improperly handled the administration of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by lowering total volume requirements and granting “hardship waivers” to large corporations, according to National Farmers Union (NFU). NFU President Roger Johnson sent a letter … Read More