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Finance Committee
Passes Permanent Disaster Relief
Permanent Disaster Program NFU's Top Farm Bill
Priority
"This program will ensure that those affected by
weather-related disasters will be able to continue to provide
the safest, most abundant food supply in the world," NFU
President Tom Buis said.
Under current law, disaster assistance is provided on an
ad hoc basis and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) has to develop and
implement a different program with each bill. A permanent
disaster program would eliminate this often timely and tedious
process.
The House-passed farm bill authorizes a
permanent disaster program, but due to the farm bill's
decreased budget baseline, the resources were not available
for its funding. |
Farm Bill Update:
Senate Mark-Up
Ag Committee Plans to Act Week
of Oct. 22
 Late Wednesday,
Oct. 3, the Senate
Agriculture Committee announced it would
meet the next evening to mark-up the 2007 Farm Bill.
However, later in the day the Ag Committee postponed its
mark-up. With the Senate out for a week for the Columbus
Day recess, and with Senate Agriculture
Committee Chairman Tom
Harkin, in his role as chairman of the Labor,
Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations
Committee, busy on the Senate floor leading debate on the
FY2008 Labor-HHS Spending Bill the week of Oct.
15, he has announced the committee will mark-up
their version of the farm bill the week of Oct.
22.
Things change quickly and frequently in Congress, and we
will work to keep you
up-to-date. |
NFU
President Voices Support for Interstate
Meat Sales
Press
Conference Supports Interstate Shipment of
Meat
 On Oct. 3, NFU
President Tom
Buis joined National Association of State
Departments of Agriculture President Roger
Johnson to urge the Senate to support the interstate sale of state inspected
meat and poultry products, and to include legislation in
the Senate farm bill. Under current law, certain state
inspected meat products cannot be sold across state lines,
despite being required to meet equal federal inspection
standards.
"Inadequate market competition is one of the greatest
challenges facing independent livestock producers and a major
reason why so many family farmers and ranchers have been
forced out of business," Buis said.
NFU believes that allowing interstate sales would
increase competition in the meat industry and supports
legislation that would level the playing field for small
farms and businesses while increasing standard safety measures
for American consumers.
Johnson said, "This is not a food safety issue. This is
about giving small companies the same economic opportunities
that larger companies and foreign companies enjoy in the U.S.
marketplace."
The House-passed farm bill includes
language to allow for the interstate sale of state inspected
meat by states that enter into a cooperative agreement with
the federal government and meet additional federal
guidlines. |
Share NFU with Kids
in a Colorful Way
Coloring Book Teaches Youth about Farmers
Union
 Looking for a fun
way to introduce Farmers Union to your child or
grandchild? The National Farmers Union Coloring Book,
with activities targeted toward young people from ages 5 to
12, includes several interactive activity pages to teach young
people about Farmers Union and the family agriculture
producers it represents. This coloring book is great for a
youth group day class, self-directed learning or just for fun!
Click
here to download sample activity sheets, or contact
NFU's Education Director Laura Johnston
Monchuk to buy the complete Farmers Union Coloring
Book for $1 each, plus
shipping. |
 Over the past
century, Farmers Union members formed more co-ops in rural America than any
other identifiable group. In the 1930's, NFU called for the
Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to be established
and operate the REA program through farmer-owned distribution
cooperatives. Today, one in eight U.S. households is served by
REAs.
Currently there are nearly 3,000 farmer-owned
cooperatives accounting for 300,000 jobs nationwide, with a
total payroll of more than $8 billion. Approximately 30
percent of farmers' products in the United States are marketed
each year through co-ops. |
State News
During the session, leaders of the main negotiating
groups (G-4 countries) examined with participants and leaders
from farmers' organizations how the WTO negotiations on
agriculture can promote global development.
Iowa: Last week, Iowa
Farmers Union announced that they will be
sponsoring a Biodiesel Homebrewing Workshop on Friday, Nov.
16. The workshop is aimed at helping those interested in
brewing their own biodiesel for use on the farm or at home. It
will be held at Green World Biofuels near Tiffin, Iowa, just
northwest of Iowa City. The workshop will cost $25 per person
and includes lunch. Read
Release
For more information, or to register for the workshop,
contact Leigh
Adcock at (800) 775-5227.
Nebraska: Nebraska Farmers Union was an active
participant at Husker Harvest Days Sept. 11 - 13 in Grand
Island. NEFU President John Hansen, Pubic Affairs Director
Graham Christensen and member Paul Schroeder spent much of
their time promoting the Carbon
Credit Program.
Prior to Husker Harvest Days, Nebraska had approximately
34,000 acres enrolled into Pool B of the no-till program. An
additional 76,000 acres were enrolled after the event to push
the total for Pool B to 110,000 acres and 179,000 total acres.
NEFU also has approximately 166,000 additional acres enrolled
in the Rangeland Management Program, many of which were
obtained as a result of the outreach at Husker Harvest
Days.
Farmers and ranchers also stopped at the NEFU booth to
talk about the farm bill, ethanol, community-owned wind, and
other pressing ag-related issues.
Husker Harvest Days began in 1978 and is one of the
nation's premier working farm shows with exhibitors, and field
demonstrations.
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:
|
Farmer's Share of Retail Food
Dollar
|
Farm Price
Barometer
September 2007
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The 
Rocky
Mountain: On Oct. 5, 
