FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 31, 2018 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202-554-1600 [email protected] WASHINGTON – In a move that has already provoked retaliatory measures, the Trump administration today announced its intention to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada, and Mexico, effective midnight Thursday. … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 29, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today approved German drug and chemical giant Bayer’s $62.5 billion acquisition of Monsanto. The deal will consolidate control of more than a quarter of the world’s seed and pesticides market and create the largest seed and … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 29, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today approved German drug and chemical giant Bayer’s $62.5 billion acquisition of Monsanto. The deal will consolidate control of more than a quarter of the world’s seed and pesticides market and create the largest seed and … Read More
By Lisa Everhart Myers, Demeter Farm March was an unusual month at Demeter Farm. It was a month filled with farming convention visits, spring snow storms, and, the very best part, an Indiana Class 1A boys’ basketball championship for my alma mater, the Morristown High School Yellow Jackets. For those of you who don’t know … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delay in allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline threatens harm to markets for family farmers, according to National Farmers Union (NFU). NFU President Roger Johnson today wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, urging EPA to immediately institute … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delay in allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline threatens harm to markets for family farmers, according to National Farmers Union (NFU). NFU President Roger Johnson today wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, urging EPA to immediately institute … Read More
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Previously on the Climate Column, we have discussed how troublesome weeds can be for agricultural operations, particularly as the climate continues to change. Although tillage can be an effective method of weed control, there are substantial drawbacks that may dissuade some farmers from implementation. One possible alternative to tillage is … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The House version of the 2018 Farm Bill failed on the House floor today by a vote of 198 to 213. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to the vote: “The rejection of the House version … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The House version of the 2018 Farm Bill failed on the House floor today by a vote of 198 to 213. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to the vote: “The rejection of the House version … Read More
By Michelle McKenzie, Co-Manager of Bellair Farm Farming for a season is hard work. Leading a crew all the way through a season and knowing you will do it all again next year is even harder work! Keeping your crew’s trust and respect is the best way to get through it all successfully. I’ve been co-managing … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 15, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Many farmers and ranchers are coping with alarming levels of stress, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) should serve a critical role in providing support to farmers in crisis, according to the nation’s second largest general farm organization. National Farmers Union … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 15, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Many farmers and ranchers are coping with alarming levels of stress, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) should serve a critical role in providing support to farmers in crisis, according to the nation’s second largest general farm organization. National Farmers Union … Read More
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Climate change been the cause, both directly and indirectly, of various challenges for agricultural producers. This list includes extreme droughts and floods, irregular growing seasons, animal and crop disease transmission, and pest migration. Another seemingly perpetual issue exacerbated by climate change is weed growth. Weeds are invasive plant species genetically … Read More
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Climate change been the cause, both directly and indirectly, of various challenges for agricultural producers. This list includes extreme droughts and floods, irregular growing seasons, animal and crop disease transmission, and pest migration. Another seemingly perpetual issue exacerbated by climate change is weed growth. Weeds are invasive plant species genetically … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 9, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The White House convened its final scheduled meeting yesterday on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and future of the biofuel industry, bringing together lawmakers and stakeholders from the oil and biofuel industries. The meeting concluded with an agreement to allow year-round use … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 9, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The White House convened its final scheduled meeting yesterday on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and future of the biofuel industry, bringing together lawmakers and stakeholders from the oil and biofuel industries. The meeting concluded with an agreement to allow year-round use … Read More
By Nate Brownlee, Co-Owner and Operator of Nightfall Farm Here at Nightfall Farm, Liz and I are committed to farm in ways that conserve our natural resources, having rooted our business in the model of the triple bottom line—environmental, social, and financial. When I think back to the first season of our farm, I recall … Read More
By Nate Brownlee, Co-Owner and Operator of Nightfall Farm Here at Nightfall Farm, Liz and I are committed to farm in ways that conserve our natural resources, having rooted our business in the model of the triple bottom line—environmental, social, and financial. When I think back to the first season of our farm, I recall … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy If you are a regular Climate Column reader, you likely appreciate that deliberate action undertaken by farmers, policymakers and food value chain participants will make domestic and global food systems more resilient to the negative impacts of climate change. But every actor in the food … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 4, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – For every dollar consumers spend on food, the farmer receives just 14.8 cents, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The figure represents a 5 percent decrease from the previous year’s data and the lowest “farm share” since USDA began reporting … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 4, 2018 WASHINGTON – For every dollar consumers spend on food, the farmer receives just 14.8 cents, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The figure represents a 5 percent decrease from the previous year’s data and the lowest “farm share” since USDA began reporting the figures in 1993. … Read More
By Hannah Ruth Tabler, NFU Intern For beginning farmers, getting a start in the agriculture industry can be difficult. Without a supportive network and educational resources, aspiring growers can find themselves at a loss for where to start in an industry where connection is key. Thankfully, organizations like the Indiana Cooperative Development Center offer support … Read More
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