By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union A $200 scholarship from the Davison County Pork Producers in 1984 launched Brad Greenway on an agricultural advocacy journey which has put him in front of thousands of consumers coast-to-coast and around the world to share his story. “That scholarship got me involved,” explains the third-generation pork producer. Brad’s engagement … Read More
By Matt Perdue, NFU Government Relations Representative When my mother was growing up on her family’s farm near Bergen, North Dakota, they produced most of the food they ate. Their eggs, butter, milk, cream, fruits, vegetables, beef, pork, and chicken were all raised and processed on the farm. The good Germans that they are, my … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy One of the principles driving National Farmers Union is our dedication to the communities in which food producers live and work. The preamble to our policy states, “The goal of NFU is to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers, … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union “It was nerve-racking to watch, but seeing that smile was priceless,” says Corrie, as she reminisces about watching her daughter show for the first time. A third-generation 4-H alumnus, Corrie says it’s exciting to see her daughter continue the family legacy of 4-H involvement and showing registered Charolais … Read More
By Tommy Enright, Wisconsin Farmers Union Communications Associate My spouse, Sam, and I started Black Rabbit Farm in 2013 with very little farming experience. We had just moved back to our home state of Wisconsin after living in Seattle, and we were excited to start this new chapter in our lives. As soon as we … Read More
By Tommy Enright, Wisconsin Farmers Union Communications Associate Some farms garner a great deal of media attention while similar farms fly below the radar. Why is this? To be sure, there are farmers doing enough awesome things in their communities that people take notice. But more likely, they are good at marketing themselves. In my experience, … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Running cattle on Harding County grasslands has been a part of the Painter family legacy since 1895, when Lewis Levi Painter rode the open range as a horse wrangler for the CY Cattle Company of Texas. “He ran a few cows with the main herd and squatted on … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Healthcare coverage is a lingering concern for most beginning farmers. Farm work is by no means safe work. Physical demands, heavy machinery, sharp tools, and other unexpected dangers are inevitable risks on operations of all sizes. Those without health care coverage are nagged by the thought of how much a mistake could cost, both … Read More
By Hannah Packman, NFU Communications Coordinator Access to affordable and effective health care is a fundamental concern for many Americans. However, farmers, ranchers, and rural communities face several unique obstacles to acquiring and paying for coverage. Rural communities experience higher rates of poverty, unemployment, chronic and mental health issues, and risky behaviors than their urban … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union The Symens family raises crops, purebred Limousin cattle and a feedlot near Amherst, South Dakota. “It’s a garden spot … if we get rain,” says Paul Symens, 72, when describing the land his grandpa, Harm Symens, purchased in 1910. For more than a century, the Symens family has cared … Read More
By Erin Cuseo, Owner & Operator of Erin’s Acres Farm As a first generation vegetable farmer in Colorado, one of the main challenges I face is accessing land. With increasingly high prices and a lack of available agricultural land, finding a long-term solution may take a farmer like myself many years. Not every property will suit … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern For a beginning farmer, who may not have the means to purchase their own land, leasing is often the most viable route to starting an operation. Typically, a lease doesn’t require a hefty downpayment or burdensome loan, and the financial risk is shared between the landowner and the tenant. However, farm … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union As its mother protectively stands guard, her newborn calf, supported precariously by its wobbly legs, looks curiously at its surroundings and then begins nursing. For four generations, this heart-warming scene has signaled spring on the Wonnenberg Ranch near Dallas, Texas. And even though it’s been a part of … Read More
By Stephanie Syson, Lead Grower & Owner of Biodynamic Botanicals The United States is a large consumer of medicinal herbs, mainly in the form of value-added products such as dietary supplements, teas, personal care products, cosmetics, and other nutraceuticals. However, many of the herbs used to make these products are imported from foreign markets. In … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Although you might not know it, cooperatives are woven throughout every industry in the United States, including housing, banking, agriculture, food retail, and healthcare, providing people with basic goods and services through collectively owned and democratically organized businesses and organizations. Opportunities for cooperatives exist when a group of people or organizations share a … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Thumbing through a recent Wienk Charolais sale catalogue, Arnold Wienk, 78, recalls what it was like in the early years. “When I first sold bulls, the only number we gave buyers was the birthdate.” The glossy flyer is filled with photos of breeding stock and several columns of … Read More
By Harper Kaufman, Co-Owner and Operator of Two Roots Farm Christian and I fell in love with farming not too long after we fell in love with each other. Before graduating from the University of Montana, we had our first farming experience at PEAS Farm, the university farm near campus. While there, we began to grasp the … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern As public interest in local and organic food increases, new markets have emerged in response to higher demand for these products. However, producers often need access to additional capital in order to access these markets. In response, Woody Tasch authored Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered, a … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Like most South Dakota farms 50 years ago, the Birgen’s farm resembled that of the Old McDonald nursery rhyme. “We raised cattle, chickens, sheep, had milk cows and stock cows, but back then, everyone did. You sold cream and eggs,” recalls Matt Birgen, an 86-year-old Korean War Veteran … Read More
By Alicia Razvi, President of the Wood-Portage-Waupaca County Chapter of Wisconsin Farmers Union In September of 2014, I walked into my first Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) meeting. The chapter was forming a youth program, and I was curious about local food. Little did I know, walking into that coffee house meeting would lead me on a … Read More
By Melissa Miller, NFU Director of Education As National Farmers Union’s education director, I am lucky enough to travel the country to visit with dozens of women in agriculture every year. From Virginia to Oklahoma, Oregon to Wisconsin, these women never cease to amaze me with their innovative ideas and consistent hard work. I see women … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Communication can be a challenge when five brothers farm together. Sure, weekly meetings help, but the key to ensuring nothing falls through the cracks on the Sumption family farm has been the daily meal they share together, explains Taylor, 40. “When you get a lot of things going on … Read More
By Ariana Taylor-Stanley, Owner and Operator of Here We Are Farm Though my husband, Adrian, grew up on a little farm, he has since become a computer scientist and, if not for my agricultural inclinations, would probably live in a sparse, walkable studio apartment in some metropolis. Conversely, I grew up in a downtown duplex and … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Many clothing retailers don’t own their storefront, and bakeries often don’t own their kitchens. So why would farmers need to own their farmland? In any business, cash is king. Owning a large commercial asset, like farmland, ties up capital that could otherwise be used to grow a nascent business. In some cases, … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Looking for a career path off the farm, Doug Sombke headed to college in 1978. However, only a few weeks into his freshman year, he was ready to pack up and head back to his family’s Conde farm. “Sitting in class I began to think of how many … Read More
