By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy A growing interest in local and regional food offers lucrative opportunities for beginning farmers, and growing farm products for these markets often require a less significant investment in land and equipment than other production methods would. However, direct-to-consumer sales do require that farmers spend a … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of Conservation Policy and NFU Foundation The Climate Column has covered practices that allow farmers to reduce emissions and sink carbon into their soil, like no-till, as well as methods that help farmers secure the food system by adapting to the changing climate, like intercropping. As the harmful consequences of climate change increase, … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As embattled farm, biofuel, and rural communities and economies look to the Trump Administration to maintain promises to support American biofuel production, National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling on the administration to increase Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume obligations when they finalize … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As embattled farm, biofuel, and rural communities and economies look to the Trump Administration to maintain promises to support American biofuel production, National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling on the administration to increase Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume obligations when they finalize … Read More
For Immediate Release October 18, 2017 Contact: [email protected] WASHINGTON, D.C. — National Farmers Union (NFU) and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union sent a joint letter to the Senate today describing how North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations could more broadly benefit American family farmers and meatpacking workers. In the letter, UFCW … Read More
For Immediate Release October 18, 2017 Contact: [email protected] WASHINGTON, D.C. — National Farmers Union (NFU) and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union sent a joint letter to the Senate today describing how North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations could more broadly benefit American family farmers and meatpacking workers. In the letter, UFCW … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON –The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it would be terminating the Farmer Fair Practices Rule on Competitive Injury, a rule that would have provided the most basic of protections to American family farmers and ranchers as they endure increasingly concentrated markets … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON –The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it would be terminating the Farmer Fair Practices Rule on Competitive Injury, a rule that would have provided the most basic of protections to American family farmers and ranchers as they endure increasingly concentrated markets … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy The market for local and regional food is an important one for beginning producers. A January 2015 report to Congress issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) notes that “producer participation in local food systems is growing, and the value of local food sales…appears to be … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Here on the Climate Column, we have discussed the climate benefits that can be achieved through extending crop rotations. A longer rather than shorter rotation can mitigate erosion if the rotation reduces or eliminates time that soil lays bare; assist with pathogen, pest and weed … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 5, 2017 CONTACT National Farmers Union: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106, [email protected] U.S. Cattlemen’s Association: Lia Biondo, 202-870-1552, [email protected] The agriculture and conservation communities spent recent years working together on management plans that successfully prevented a non-listing of the Greater Sage Grouse, while providing grazing management flexibility for livestock producers and land managers. … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 5, 2017 CONTACT National Farmers Union: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106, [email protected] U.S. Cattlemen’s Association: Lia Biondo, 202-870-1552, [email protected] The agriculture and conservation communities spent recent years working together on management plans that successfully prevented a non-listing of the Greater Sage Grouse, while providing grazing management flexibility for livestock producers and land managers. … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 5, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As American family farmers struggle amidst a global glut of grain supplies and a severely depressed U.S. farm economy, the Trump Administration has a significant opportunity to provide meaningful relief that benefits not only farmers, but also rural communities, consumers and the … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 5, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As American family farmers struggle amidst a global glut of grain supplies and a severely depressed U.S. farm economy, the Trump Administration has a significant opportunity to provide meaningful relief that benefits not only farmers, but also rural communities, consumers and the … Read More
For Immediate Release Wednesday, October 4, 2017 Washington, DC — Today, a broad-based coalition of 210 farm, rural, worker and consumer advocacy organizations released principles for a fairer farm bill that would address the lack of competition in every link in the food chain. The groups point out that growing consolidation in the agribusiness, food … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2017 CONTACT National Farmers Union: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106, [email protected] U.S. Cattlemen’s Association: Lia Biondo, 202-870-1552, [email protected] WASHINGTON – In less than three weeks, a rule to protect family farmers and ranchers from the worst abuses of concentrated markets will go into effect, barring any setbacks from the U.S. Department of … Read More
By Natalie Grote, NFU Intern The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers both direct ownership loans as well as guarantees for ownership loans from private banks. Direct loans have lower income requirements and generally do not require as extensive farm practice as private loans. Additionally, unlike most private lenders, FSA will work … Read More
For Immediate Release Wednesday, October 4, 2017 Washington, DC — Today, a broad-based coalition of 210 farm, rural, worker and consumer advocacy organizations released principles for a fairer farm bill that would address the lack of competition in every link in the food chain. The groups point out that growing consolidation in the agribusiness, food … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2017 CONTACT National Farmers Union: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106, [email protected] U.S. Cattlemen’s Association: Lia Biondo, 202-870-1552, [email protected] WASHINGTON – In less than three weeks, a rule to protect family farmers and ranchers from the worst abuses of concentrated markets will go into effect, barring any setbacks from the U.S. Department of … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 3, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Following a recent set of proposals by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to weaken the nation’s premier renewable fuels law, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), National Farmers Union and 10 prominent biofuel organizations are calling on the administration to honor its … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 3, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Following a recent set of proposals by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to weaken the nation’s premier renewable fuels law, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), National Farmers Union and 10 prominent biofuel organizations are calling on the administration to honor its … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy On the Climate Column, we have discussed many conservation practices, such as cover crops and stripcropping, that help farmers mitigate climate change, either by reducing emissions related to farming or by storing carbon in the soil. Many of these practices not only cut carbon emissions, but they … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 27, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday announced new, lower proposed obligations for renewable fuel usage under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the nation’s preeminent policy for encouraging the production and development of American grown and produced transportation fuels. The agency’s proposal … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 27, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As U.S. House and Senate agriculture committee leadership readies a framework for the 2018 Farm Bill, the conservation community has come to a consensus on a fundamental set of provisions to strengthen the conservation title of the bill. National Farmers Union (NFU) … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 27, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday announced new, lower proposed obligations for renewable fuel usage under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the nation’s preeminent policy for encouraging the production and development of American grown and produced transportation fuels. The agency’s proposal … Read More