By Tracy Heim, NFU Intern On the second Monday of every October, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated across the United States to honor the original inhabitants of the Americas. On this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, National Farmers Union (NFU) celebrates the invaluable contributions of Native Americans and the Indigenous origins of many practices currently used in … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 8, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released a final rule detailing updates to its Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) as directed by the 2018 Farm Bill. In comparison to the interim rule, the final version places a greater emphasis on soil health – … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 6, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, [email protected] Though millions of Americans are enduring unemployment, food insecurity, the possibility of eviction, and other hardships because of the pandemic, President Donald Trump today indicated that he would not consider another stimulus package until after the election. Out of concern for hungry Americans, struggling rural communities, … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 5, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The National Organic Program (NOP) opens economic opportunities and new markets for American farmers – but in the last several years, millions of dollars of non-organic products have been intentionally mislabeled and sold as organic, eroding consumer confidence in the certified organic … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Four and half months after the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act stalled in the Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amended version of the legislation. The $2.2 trillion stimulus package incorporates many provisions National Farmers Union … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 30, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – With just hours to spare, the Senate today narrowly avoided a government shutdown by passing a continuing resolution to fund federal agencies through December 11. The bill, which now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature, would also provide nearly $8 billion for nutrition assistance … Read More
By Charlie Michel, National Farmers Union Education and Outreach Coordinator When a statewide COVID-19 lockdown upended their food safety event planning, Mary Howell and Mercedes Taylor-Puckett of Kansas Farmers Union (KFU) were quick to respond with creative solutions for delivering on-farm education to Kansas growers. A primary challenge was reaching producers in cities like Wichita, … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 30, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Pandemic-related disruptions have exposed underlying weaknesses in our food and farm system, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew told the House Small Business Committee today during a hearing. In both verbal and written testimony, Larew highlighted the need for significant structural … Read More
By Hannah Packman, National Farmers Union Communications Director A year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) abruptly relocated two of its major research agencies – the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Economic Research Service) – from Washington, D.C. to Kansas City. The move forced dozens of experienced employees to quit, taking their expertise … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 24, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Higher octane fuels like mid- and high-level ethanol blends are mutually beneficial for drivers, farmers, and the environment. Recognizing this, Representative Cheri Bustos today introduced the Next Generation Fuels Act, which would increase gasoline octane to a minimum standard of 98 Research Octane Number … Read More
By Melanie Arthur, NFU Intern The Covid-19 pandemic has created new challenges for our food system, especially for those operating or working on farms or in food facilities. To simplify and streamline pandemic-related decisions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a new resource, the Employee Health … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 22, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – With government funding due to run out next week, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed a continuing resolution that would keep federal agencies running through December 11. In addition to preventing a government shutdown, the stopgap measure would provide nearly $8 billion for … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 17, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – During a campaign rally tonight in Mosinee, Wisconsin, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would provide a second tranche of pandemic aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). He indicated that an additional $13 billion will … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 16, 2020 WASHINGTON – In light of the fact that racial and ethnic minority groups are vastly underrepresented in agricultural professions, National Farmers Union (NFU) and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) are working together to foster diversity and inclusion in the field. During an online ceremony, NFU President … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 14, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, [email protected] WASHINGTON – After significant pushback from American farmers and the biofuels industry, the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it would reject 68 requests for retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The decision comes nearly nine months after a Tenth Circuit Court decision that … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 14, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As a global pandemic and extreme weather events batter an already weak agricultural economy, more than 400 farmers, ranchers, and rural residents are gathering online this week to speak directly with their elected representatives and administration officials as part of National Farmers … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 14, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – For years, beef and pork that was born, raised, and slaughtered in another country but processed in the United States has legally been labeled as a “Product of the U.S.A.,” a claim that misleads consumers and puts American ranchers at a disadvantage. … Read More
By Hannah Packman, NFU Communications Director Many years before the coronavirus pandemic, there were concerns that meat plant workers were at high risk of contracting contagious diseases – concerns that have only ramped up in recent months. For one, meat plants are cold, which increases the risk of transmission. Masks are the obvious protection, but the physical demands and … Read More
Next week, hundreds of hundreds of farmers, ranchers, and rural residents will gather online to speak directly with their elected representatives and administration officials as part of National Farmers Union’s (NFU) virtual legislative fly-in. While signup for the full event has closed, we are opening several of the fly-in sessions to the public. All three are … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 9, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – In a joint effort to foster diversity and inclusion in agricultural professions, National Farmers Union (NFU) and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during a ceremony next week. The MOU, to be … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 9, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), National Farmers Union (NFU) and American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) today welcomed news reports that President Trump has directed the Environmental Protection Agency to reject dozens of so-called “gap year” small refinery exemption petitions … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2020 Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As a global pandemic and extreme weather events batter an already weak agricultural economy, hundreds of farmers, ranchers, and rural residents will gather online next week to speak directly with their elected representatives and administration officials as part of National Farmers Union’s (NFU) virtual … Read More
By Hannah Packman, NFU Communications Director The farm economy was weak long before the pandemic. For years, chronic overproduction has severely depressed commodity prices. Global trade disputes that eroded export markets certainly didn’t help, nor did corporate control of the agriculture industry. But new pandemic-related disruptions have pushed down prices even lower than they were before – so much so … Read More
By Jenny Hopkinson, NFU Senior Government Relations Representative It seems everyone in Washington is talking about agriculture’s role in combatting climate change. Across the government, officials are embracing the need for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving soil health – both of which are key for addressing the climate crisis. This summer, there was a … Read More
By Brittany Olson, Wisconsin Farmers Union Member This piece originally ran in the September/October issue of Wisconsin Farmers Union News and is available for distribution. Learn more about the Rural Voices project at www.wisconsinfarmersunion.com/rural-voices or on the WFU blog. Even though my days as a farm journalist are getting farther and farther behind me in … Read More