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Harkin Announces
Farm Bill Mark-Up
Senate Ag Committee to Meet Oct. 24
 Senate Agriculture
Committee Chairman Tom
Harkin, D-Iowa, announced a farm bill proposal Oct.
16. and plans for the committee to mark up the bill on
Wednesday, the 24th at 9:30 a.m.
"The 2002 Farm Bill expired last month and it's time to
move forward. Farmers and ranchers across the country need to
know what type of federal farm policy they will be operating
under next year," NFU President Tom Buis said. "I commend
Senators Harkin, Chambliss, Conrad and others for their
leadership in working out a compromise that will allow the
farm bill to move through the Senate Agriculture Committee and
U.S. Senate."
Buis added that there are too many high priority issues
that must be addressed to further delay the farm bill
process.
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NFU Poll of the Week
Do you support a revenue-assurance
option in the farm bill?
Last week's poll
results:
We only had TWO responses, but it
looks like the
consensus is to add more video. You
got it!
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Members' Corner: John
Ellis-Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
Highlighting Outstanding Members in Our
States
 Last week, John
Ellis sold an acorn squash to James Taylor. Yes, the gold,
platinum, multi-platinum and Grammy award-winning musical
artist James Taylor. But for this tractor collecting, local
food promoting, kinetic machine racing, Boulder, Colo. farmer,
it was just another day.
Growing up in a rural area and acting as a "shadow" to
several farmers when he was younger, John was well prepared to
begin his own operation in 1970 after returning from serving
in the Army. On his farm outside the town of Niwot, Colo. in
Boulder County, John grows irrigated hay and wheat, pumpkins,
winter squash, rhubarb and dry beans. He also owns a certified
organic peach orchard in Palisade, Colo. on the western slopes
of the Rocky Mountains. The orchard is about 250 miles west of
Boulder.
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**Each week, our members get to hear about NFU's
work on Capitol Hill and around the United States.
Now, we are going to show you what our members are
doing across the country. This is the second in a series
of Member Profiles that will appear each week in the
e-newsletter. Check back to get to know your fellow Farmers
Union members!
Do you know someone you would like to
feature from your state? Contact Amber
Birtcher. | |
NFU Opposes
Rule to Open Canadian Border
Canada Yet to Demonstrate BSE Problem Under Control
 NFU President Tom
Buis sent a letter to members of Congress Monday,
Oct. 15, urging opposition to the rule to open
trading with minimal risk areas.
"At a minimum, consumers should know the origin of the
meat they purchase before expanding trade with Canada. It
simply does not make sense to risk American consumers'
confidence in our meat supply by opening the Canadian border
at a time when Canada has yet to demonstrate its BSE problem
is under control."
Read Buis' letter to the Senate. Read Buis' letter to the House. |
NFU Urges Congress to
Include RES and RFS in Energy Bill
Renewable Standards Positive for Rural
America
 On Thursday,
Oct. 18, NFU President Tom Buis sent a letter to House Speaker
Nancy
Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid urging Congress to make Renewable Fuel and
Renewable Energy Standards the foundation of any energy
legislation that is drafted this year.
"Without an accelerated and expanded RFS, ethanol
facilities will produce enough ethanol within the next two
years to saturate the market," Buis said. An RES is also an
important part of the legislation and would generate more
than $450 billion in investment in new clean energy facilities
in mostly rural areas.
"With the right federal policies in place, farmers and
ranchers will continue to supply a safe and affordable food
supply while contributing to America's energy soverignty,"
Buis said.
Reid and Pelosi are in the process of reconciling
differences between the Senate- and House-passed energy
bills.
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NDFU, CARE
Fundraise to Help Ecuadorian
Farmers
Rural Women Reviving
Communities Through Agriculture
North
Dakota Farmers Union, partnered with CARE, launched a humanitarian
fundraising effort starting Oct. 15 to benefit rural women in
Ecuador who are rebuilding their communities through
agriculture. The announcement of the effort coincided with World
Rural Women's Day.
"In Ecuador, communities that were once impoverished are
coming alive and thriving due to women who are planting
crops," NDFU President Robert Carlson said. "Their efforts are
providing sustainability for their families and a brighter
future for their children. As with rural women the world over,
their actions are having an empowering affect on those around
them."
CARE is part of a global movement to empower women in the
fight against poverty. In 2002 NDFU and CARE raised more than
$150,000 to purchase 1,000 metric tons of fortified wheat
flour for the Kabul Widows Emergency Feeding Project in
Afganistan.
Cindy Schlosser, daughter of NDFU Vice President
Richard and Mary Schlosser, is in Ecuador with the CARE project, and is writing a blog during her
experience.
NDFU and CARE intend to raise at least $50,000 to
support the efforts in Ecuador's Morona Santiago
province. Funds will be used to finance small loans for
women to buy seeds or cattle, and to educate them on
sustainable agricultural practices. To donate, contact NDFU at
(701)252-2340. Donations must be made by March 1 and are tax
deductible.
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Ohio State
University Launches New Collegiate
Chapter
OFU Encourages Farming Education,
Involvement
 Ohio Farmers
Union (OFU) is inviting higher education
students to get involved in the organization's collegiate
chapter. The program is open to all full-time
students enrolled in any college in Ohio. An
information exhibit and meeting was held recently at Ohio
State University (OSU) to encourage students
to join the Farmers Union collegiate chapter.
Students on college campuses are developing leadership
skills and career goals. These young people often are focusing
on social and economic issues that are important to family
farm agriculture and rural communities.
"Collegiate chapters are a great way to get the next
generation of rural leaders actively talking about their
futures," said student leader Kayla Weaver. Kayla was named
earlier this year as OFU's Outstanding Young Member, and is
pictured above at the OSU exhibit.
For more information, contact Kayla
Weaver, or call Ohio Farmers Union at
(800)321-3671.
Ohio Farmers Union is working to further develop its
youth program. Other accomplishments have been youth retreats,
day camps and an array of scholarship contests.
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In other Farmers Union education news:
You can see on the NFU
MySpace that we've been connecting with many
FFA chapters and spreading the news about Farmers Union.
We have many of them featured on our friends list in honor of
the FFA Convention.
Please spread the word to any young people who may be
attending the FFA Convention to come by the
Farmers Union booth. We'll have Farmers Union
"Family Farms Rock" T-shirts and free music download cards,
plus information about the variety of internship, scholarship and leadership opportunities Farmers
Union offers around the country.
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State News
 Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Farmers Union
member Lyndsey Royek of Corry, Pa., was named
Pennsylvania Dairy Princess in September. Contestants were
judged on their public speaking skills, knowledge of the dairy
industry, poise and personality. Each contestant prepared a
speech and skit promoting milk and dairy products. Royek's
skit portrayed "Alberta Einstein" who formulated the recipe
for milk. She is the daughter of Walter and Lisa Royek.
Wisconsin: Wisconsin Farmers Union members will
have the chance to attend producer-focused workshops on how to
assess local markets and work with grocery store buyers.
Producers will leave these workshops armed with an action plan
outlining the steps they will need to take to achieve their
goals of selling to grocery stores. The workshop cost is $20
and includes a locally-produced lunch. Registration ends Oct.
26 for the first workshop being held Nov. 1. For more
information, or to register, contact Jeanne
Carpenter, or by calling (608)358-7837.
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
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Farm Price
Barometer
September 2007
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