CTIC Tour Highlights Opportunities for Agriculture in Mississippi Watershed

June 5, 2012Blog

By Jeremy Peters, NFU director of climate and energy The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and Delta Farmers Advocating Resource Management (Delta F.A.R.M.) held the annual Conservation in Action Tour May 30-31, in the Mississippi Delta region of northwest Mississippi. NFU sponsored the tour and NFU Climate and Energy Director Jeremy Peters participated in the … Read More

CTIC Tour Highlights Opportunities for Agriculture in Mississippi Watershed

June 5, 2012Blog

By Jeremy Peters, NFU director of climate and energy The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and Delta Farmers Advocating Resource Management (Delta F.A.R.M.) held the annual Conservation in Action Tour May 30-31, in the Mississippi Delta region of northwest Mississippi. NFU sponsored the tour and NFU Climate and Energy Director Jeremy Peters participated in the … Read More

Happy Hemp History Week

June 4, 2012Blog

Submitted By Mike Stranz, NFU government relations representative June 4-10, 2012 is Hemp History Week. Now in its third year, Hemp History Week is the largest national grassroots marketing and public education effort torenew strong support for hemp farming in the U.S. and raise awareness about the benefits of hemp products. Hemp is an untapped opportunity … Read More

Happy Hemp History Week

June 4, 2012Blog

Submitted By Mike Stranz, NFU government relations representative June 4-10, 2012 is Hemp History Week. Now in its third year, Hemp History Week is the largest national grassroots marketing and public education effort torenew strong support for hemp farming in the U.S. and raise awareness about the benefits of hemp products. Hemp is an untapped opportunity … Read More

USDA Announces New Microloan Program

June 1, 2012Blog

By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a proposed rule for a new microloan program within the existing Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) operating loan program. FSA proposes to offer annual or term microloans of up to $35,000 that feature a streamlined application process and less stringent requirements … Read More

USDA Announces New Microloan Program

June 1, 2012Blog

By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a proposed rule for a new microloan program within the existing Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) operating loan program. FSA proposes to offer annual or term microloans of up to $35,000 that feature a streamlined application process and less stringent requirements … Read More

USDA: 150 Years of Progress and Innovation

May 15, 2012Blog

By Roger Johnson, National Farmers Union president This week marks a milestone in the history of our country and a legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. While he is known for many accomplishments, a little-known fact is that he established the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 150 years ago. On May 15, 1862, Lincoln signed into … Read More

USDA: 150 Years of Progress and Innovation

May 15, 2012Blog

By Roger Johnson, National Farmers Union president This week marks a milestone in the history of our country and a legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. While he is known for many accomplishments, a little-known fact is that he established the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 150 years ago. On May 15, 1862, Lincoln signed into … Read More

New NFU Curriculum Emphasizes Cooperatives

May 4, 2012Blog

By Tony Jarboe, NFU communications coordinator NFU has released a new curriculum that highlights 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives. The curriculum is available here. It provides six separate lessons for college and adult students and introduce how cooperation works to help individuals work together to accomplish goals they could not achieve on their … Read More

New NFU Curriculum Emphasizes Cooperatives

May 4, 2012Blog

By Tony Jarboe, NFU communications coordinator NFU has released a new curriculum that highlights 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives. The curriculum is available here. It provides six separate lessons for college and adult students and introduce how cooperation works to help individuals work together to accomplish goals they could not achieve on their … Read More

25x’25 Gets a Seat at the Table with President Obama

May 1, 2012Blog

By Michael Bowman, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union member Last Thursday, the White House hosted a “Champions of Change” event, inviting 12 from more than 500 program alumni to meet with President Obama and share the stories of their work. I was honored to be one of those chosen to attend and was part of a … Read More

25x'25 Gets a Seat at the Table with President Obama

May 1, 2012Blog

By Michael Bowman, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union member Last Thursday, the White House hosted a “Champions of Change” event, inviting 12 from more than 500 program alumni to meet with President Obama and share the stories of their work. I was honored to be one of those chosen to attend and was part of a … Read More

Recap: Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Markup

April 26, 2012Blog

By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative Today the Senate Committee on Agriculture marked up its draft of the 2012 Farm Bill (entitled the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012) and passed the final version out of committee on a bipartisan 16-5 vote. The manager’s amendment offered today incorporated a number of changes … Read More

Recap: Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Markup

April 26, 2012Blog

By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative Today the Senate Committee on Agriculture marked up its draft of the 2012 Farm Bill (entitled the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012) and passed the final version out of committee on a bipartisan 16-5 vote. The manager’s amendment offered today incorporated a number of changes … Read More

White House Honors “Champions of Change”

April 24, 2012Blog

By Justin Sherlock, NFU intern On Thursday, the White House hosted a panel titled “Innovations in Renewable Energy” which is part of the Champions of Change recognition efforts that are being done. In essence, the White House was honoring individuals who have helped spur innovations that are advancing the renewable energy industry. One honoree, Lt. … Read More

White House Honors "Champions of Change"

April 24, 2012Blog

By Justin Sherlock, NFU intern On Thursday, the White House hosted a panel titled “Innovations in Renewable Energy” which is part of the Champions of Change recognition efforts that are being done. In essence, the White House was honoring individuals who have helped spur innovations that are advancing the renewable energy industry. One honoree, Lt. … Read More

Supreme Court Should Uphold ACA

March 26, 2012Blog

By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative This morning the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health care law passed just over two years ago. Farmers Union members have always felt that access to affordable, quality health care is the right of all citizens, rural … Read More

Supreme Court Should Uphold ACA

March 26, 2012Blog

By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative This morning the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health care law passed just over two years ago. Farmers Union members have always felt that access to affordable, quality health care is the right of all citizens, rural … Read More

Discussion, Debate Highlight NFU Convention

March 13, 2012Blog

By Tony Jarboe, NFU communications coordinator Missouri Farmers Union President Richard Oswald has a great write-up of NFU’s 110th Anniversary Convention in La Vista, Neb., in the Daily Yonder today. He discusses NFU’s approach to policy creation, the special orders of business that were passed, and the new NFU logo. Below is an excerpt from … Read More

Discussion, Debate Highlight NFU Convention

March 13, 2012Blog

By Tony Jarboe, NFU communications coordinator Missouri Farmers Union President Richard Oswald has a great write-up of NFU’s 110th Anniversary Convention in La Vista, Neb., in the Daily Yonder today. He discusses NFU’s approach to policy creation, the special orders of business that were passed, and the new NFU logo. Below is an excerpt from … Read More

A New Voice in Agriculture

March 13, 2012Blog

The following speech was delivered by New England Farmers Union member Tess Lavoie-Brown at NFU’s 110th Anniversary Convention in La Vista, Neb. Thanks to folks at the National Farmers Union for inviting me to speak. I am a new voice, and it takes enormous confidence for them to bring me here. I say I am … Read More

Renewable Energy Key to Reviving Rural Economies

March 12, 2012Blog

By Jan Ahlen, NFU government relations representative Rural America is under increased economic stress. What once was a thriving sector of the economy and a boon for rural economic development, American agriculture employs fewer people every year. As a result, there are fewer jobs for young people. Today’s farm children would rather move to cities … Read More

Cooperatives: The Win-Win Way of Doing Business

March 12, 2012Blog

By Maria Miller, NFU director of education This year people around the world are celebrating a business model that puts people first. In a world where the majority of businesses put profit first, this model is being called innovative. For Farmers Union, we call it history. Farmers Union’s roots go back to Point, Texas, where, … Read More