FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 13, 2018 CONTACT NFU: Andrew Jerome, 202.314-3106, ajerome@nfudc.org AFBF: Will Rodger, 202.406.3642, willr@fb.org WASHINGTON – The two largest farming groups in the United States today called for swift passage of the farm bill by a congressional conference committee. Faced with the lowest farm income in 12 years, the presidents of the American Farm Bureau … Read More
Editor’s Note: Guest posts do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of National Farmers Union. By Olivia Taylor-Puckett, Manager of the Lawrence Farmers’ Market When I walk through the Lawrence Farmers’ Market, the majority of the faces behind the tables are those of women. Ours is the oldest, and largest, producer-only market in Kansas, … Read More
By Jake Stukenberg, NFU Intern Cooperatives have proven to be one of the most beneficial business models, particularly in rural areas where certain services or products would be unavailable to residents. Businesses like credit unions, cooperatively owned grocery stores, and rural electric cooperatives, can provide not only services to a community, but job opportunities as … Read More
By Kiana Brockel, NFU Intern, & Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Regular Climate Column readers know that there are many actions farmers can take to mitigate the effects of climate change. There is no one-size-fits-all solution however – the appropriate approach depends on location and its climate, topography, crops grown, and … Read More
By Ashley Wegmueller of Bo & Olly’s Produce This week we continue with our Soil Sisters stories, so gather around the virtual farmstead kitchen table for a conversation with Ashley Wegmueller of Bo & Olly’s Produce. Ashley raises diversified vegetables while also helping her husband on their 4th-generation family dairy farm. Together, they are in … Read More
By Jake Stukenberg, NFU Intern Cooperatives can come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it is a local grocery store stocked with all local products made from area producers or a large company like CHS, Inc. that provides many services nationwide, a cooperative caters to a specific need and improves access to goods or services … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2018 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202-554-1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – In a letter sent today to congressional leadership, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson emphasized the need to address agricultural economic hardships in the 2018 Farm Bill. The NFU Board of Directors unanimously approved the motion to send this letter during … Read More
By April Prusia, Co-Owner/Operator of Dorothy’s Range Soil Sisters is a network of more than 150 Wisconsin women farmers who offer each other support, collaboration, and community. One of those women is April Prusia, who runs Dorothy’s Range, offering heritage pork, feeders and breeding stock as well as a farm experience with overnight rentals. The … Read More
By Jake Stukenberg, NFU Intern The most definitive aspect of the cooperative business model is that the members or producers own the business. This allows producers to drive their cooperative into the direction that benefits the producers, not private interests of outside stakeholders. With this power of directive comes the greater responsibility to stay active, … Read More
By Kiana Brockel, NFU Intern Climate Column readers know there are many things farmers can do to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers farmers technical and financial support to help interested farmers mitigate climate change and become more climate resilient. … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 24, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – The Trump administration today announced a $12 billion plan to provide emergency aid to farmers amidst an escalating trade war with China and other trading partners. The plan will include direct assistance, a food purchase and distribution program, and a trade promotion … Read More
By Lisa Kivirist, author, co-owner and operator of Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B Never underestimate what a bunch of women coming together for a potluck can do. What started now ten years ago as a regularly scheduled series of on-farm potlucks among local women farmers, gardeners and food enthusiasts in and around Green County, Wisconsin, … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to send the farm bill to conference, the process by which the House and U.S. Senate remedy differences between their respective versions of the farm bill. A conference committee of members from the House and … Read More
By Jake Stukenberg, NFU Intern No farmer can start a cooperative alone. Cooperatives are the product of collaboration among many individuals with a shared goal of providing a needed service within an area or community. Once a group of producers comes together and creates a business plan, community members, producers, and investors provide the funds … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Climate Column readers know that there are many things farmers can do to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), housed within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), offers farmers technical and financial support to abate climate change and become more climate … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Climate Column readers know there are many things farmers can do to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers farmers technical and financial support to help interested farmers abate climate change and … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 6, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org BAILEY, Colo. – Farmers Union youth members from across the country gathered here last week for the 82nd annual National Farmers Union (NFU) All-States Leadership Camp. Hosted each June at the NFU Education Center, All-States Camp encourages youth to explore their leadership potential, discuss … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 28, 2018 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202-554-1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today voted 86-11 in favor of its bipartisan Farm Bill, also known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. The National Farmers Union (NFU) Board of Directors unanimously supported the Senate’s efforts when the bill was first introduced. Rob … Read More
By Jake Stukenberg, NFU Intern Farming can be a daunting career to pursue, especially as a young farmer or rancher in the current farm economy. Given the various barriers to entry, most beginning farmers cannot succeed without the help of others. Having a place to collaborate, profit, and educate other farmers not only supports beginning … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2018 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202-554-1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed increasing the renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by 3 percent in 2019, from 19.29 billion gallons to 19.88 billion gallons. The proposal would maintain the current 15-million-gallon target for … Read More
By Kiana Brockel, NFU Intern On the Climate Column, we have discussed farm practices that can mitigate climate change and make farms more resilient to its effects, as well as government programs that assist farmers in implementing these practices. The support programs are important, but farmers may not be able to adopt many practices with … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 21, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives today approved its version of the 2018 Farm Bill by a vote of 213 to 211. National Farmers Union (NFU), a family farm organization who stood in opposition to the current form of the bill, is calling … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 21, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – On behalf of its nearly 200,000 farm family members, the National Farmers Union (NFU) Board of Directors today unanimously approved a resolution in support of the Senate’s bipartisan efforts to advance a farm bill. The NFU Board urged the Senate to quickly … Read More
By Sophie Neems, Previous NFU Intern & Current Communications Specialist at Farm Credit The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) supports American farmers in a myriad of ways, primarily by offering services such as crop insurance, organic certification cost share, farmers market promotion, and rural development initiatives. But how does the USDA support women farmers specifically? The … Read More
By Chelsea Matzen, FSMA Project Director On June 5, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., and U.S Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced a joint effort to simplify produce safety requirements for farmers by aligning the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Audit Program with the requirements of the Food and Drug … Read More
