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Fly-In a
Success!
Farmers Union Members Walk Halls of Congress
for Rural America
 As we reported
last week, the NFU fall legislative fly-in brought more than 200 Farmers
Union members to Washington, D.C. September 17 - 19 to
meet directly with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
The fly-in began with a Monday morning
visit to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture where NFU President Tom
Buis and the NFU legislative staff briefed participants on
fly-in priority issues. USDA officials,
including now-Acting Secretary Chuck Conner,
Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Bruce
Knight and Chief Economist Keith Collins spoke and took
questions.
Then-USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, who
announced his resignation late last week, discussed the
administration's farm bill proposal and reaction to the
House-passed bill. He also took questions from NFU
members.
Evening receptions followed the day's congressional
visits. The NFU Golden
Triangle award was presented during these
events.
Fly-in participants also took part in a press conference
on the need to create permanent disaster
assistance program. You can read more below.
Click on an image to view pictures from the fly
in:
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NFU Urges
Senate to Enact Permanent Disaster
Program
Fly-In Participants Attend Press Conference to Show
Support
 Farmers Union
members attending last week's fly-in participated in a press
conference in support of the creation of a permanent disaster
assistance program. A permanent program would provide a
helping hand to America's family farmers and ranchers affected
by weather conditions out of their control, rather than
Congress providing assistance on a case by case
basis.
NFU President Tom Buis and Sens. Max Baucus,
D-Mont.; Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Byron Dorgan, D-N.D; Orrin
Hatch, R-Utah; Ken Salazar, D-Colo.; Jon Tester, D-Mont. and
John Thune, R-S.D. spoke out in favor of permanent disaster
aid.
The House-passed farm bill authorized a
permanent disaster program, but due to budget limitations they
were unable to find funding. Senate Finance Committee Chairman
Max
Baucus, D-Mont., has outlined a tax
package that would provide the funds to
create this badly-needed program.
Buis commended Chairman Baucus "for his support of family
farmers and ranchers and his efforts in providing the funds
needed to create a permanent disaster
program." |
NFU Response to USDA
Secretary Johanns' Resignation
NFU
Prepared to Work with Acting Secretary Chuck Conner on
2007 Farm Bill
 Last Thursday,
Sept. 20, NFU President Tom Buis made a statement in response
to USDA Secretar y Mike Johanns'
resignation and USDA Deputy
Agriculture Secretary Chuck
Conner's appointment as acting
secretary:
"During Secretary Johanns' tenure at the department
he has shown an openness and willingness to travel to the
countryside and listen to those who live, work and raise their
families in rural America. I give him a lot of credit for
that. While we didn't always agree on the issues, he was an
active participant in the process.
"I do think it is unfortunate that the Secretary
chose to leave USDA when Congress has yet to complete work on
a new farm bill.
"Acting Secretary Chuck Conner has a wealth of
experience and understanding of the intricacies of farm
policy. He has been an active participant in crafting farm
legislation in the past and I look forward to working with him
in the future." |
Youth Scholarship
Winners Complete NFU Triangle
Two NFU
Youth Members Lobbied in D.C. for Rural
America
 Nathan Nuttbrock
and Rachel Becker arrived in Washington, D.C. on Sept.
16 along with other Farmers Union members to spend the
week meeting with their representatives in
Congress and encourage them to support priorities that
benefit rural America and family farmers and ranchers. The two
won scholarships to attend this year's fall fly-in.
Nathan and Rachel were able to see some of the beautiful
and historical sights D.C. has to offer, but their free time
was limited as they spent their days lobbying on Capitol
Hill.
Both Farmers Union students are actively involved in
their state organizations and were extremely excited to be
able to take part in the fly-in. Nathan described what he has
taken away from this once-in-a-lifetime experience at the
conclusion of their trip. "We have both been so involved in
the Education and Cooperation aspects of Farmers Union, to be
able to complete the triangle, finally, with Legislation was
such a great
experience." |
Co-op Development
Centers Earn Federal Grant
Funding
Farmers Union
Members Benefit from Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced grant
awards for cooperative development centers
including $600,000 for centers that work very closely with
Farmers Union members.
Among the 19 co-op development centers awarded funding
those with Farmers Union ties are:
- Missouri Farmers Union Family Farm Opportunity
Center, Jefferson City, Mo., $200,000;
- Montana Cooperative Development
Center, Great Falls, Mont., $200,000; and
- Rocky
Mountain Farmers Union Educational and Charitable
Foundation, Greenwood Village, Colo.,
$200,000.
Other centers receiving funding operate in and serve
Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, the Pacific Northwest and
elsewhere. |
State News
Minnesota: Minnesota Farmers Union presented the
Outstanding Ag Educator Award to Jim Molenaar of Ridgewater
College. MFU also presented Agriculture Policy Education (APE)
scholarships to teacher Christa Williamson and students
Mallory Wentzel and Brian Jahn. The scholarships allow
recipients to attend NFU's fall fly-in.
North Dakota: North
Dakota Farmers Union members, employees, insurance
agents and other volunteers assisted with clean-up efforts in
Northwood, N.D. following a tornado in August. The group
worked to remove debris from streets, lawns and homes. "North
Dakota Farmers Union staff and members wanted to lend our help
to the community," said NDFU President Robert Carlson.
Wyoming: Rocky
Mountain Farmers Union member Duane Criswell
organized the "Ride the Divide" antique tractor ride over the
Continental Divide in August. Riders drove antique tractors 25
miles each way over the 9,955 foot Battle Pass from the west
to Encampment, Wyo., and back. Riders were primarily from
Colorado with participants also from Arizona and Illinois.
Criswell said organizing the ride is something he has wanted
to do for some time.
Montana: Montana
Farmers Union held its 8th annual Farm-to-Table
tour for educators, business people, members of the media and
public officials on Aug. 22. Organized by MFU through a grant
from the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee the goal of the
tour is to trace the food path from the farmer or rancher to
the consumer's table.
Have NFU news you want to share? Send
any info about meetings, conventions, state fairs, individual
members' success, state government news, or anything else
relevant to NFU and its members to Amber
Birtcher. |
| Join Us in Las
Vegas!
 NFU's 2008
Convention will be held March 2-4 at Bally's in Las Vegas.
Guaranteed to be an exciting mix of top-notch speakers, policy
makers and Farmers Union members from across the country, the
2008 NFU Convention is a can't miss event.
Last year we were privileged to have House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi provide the keynote address and we are looking forward
to another successful event in 2008. See you in Las
Vegas!
Additional Las Vegas Information:
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Farmer's Share of Retail Food
Dollar
July 2007
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Farm Price
Barometer
July 2007
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