FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 28, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (June 28, 2016) – National Farmers Union (NFU) Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI) was created to empower the success of America’s next generation of farmers, and the NFU Foundation is pleased to announce the largest participant class in the program’s six-year history. Seventeen beginning … Read More
By Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-1) As USDA has widely reported and producers are all too aware, commodity prices have been significantly declining recently. Nationally, net farm income has dropped 56 percent in the last three years. While not all agricultural products have experienced such a dramatic drop in price, there are other factors that are creating financial … Read More
By Miles V. McEvoy, Deputy Administrator, National Organic Program The National Organic Program (NOP), a regulatory program housed in the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), oversees organic farmers and businesses to make sure that organic food is produced with organic methods. In April, AMS released data showing the organic industry is now made up of … Read More
By Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) Agriculture in the Northeast contributes $103 billion to local economies and supports roughly 480,000 jobs across the region. But like the rest of the farm economy, producers in Connecticut have been negatively impacted by slumping commodity prices and weak demand for their products. Nationally, net farm income has dropped 56 … Read More
By Roger Johnson, president, National Farmers Union Nearly 500 farm work-related deaths occur annually, according to a 2013 study from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). As farmers and ranchers are more active on and around their operations this time of year, National Farmers Union (NFU) is raising awareness about farm safety issues and … Read More
By Barbara Patterson, government relations representative, National Farmers Union This week, the Senate Appropriations committee will take up consideration of the Agriculture Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017. Just as in every year in recent memory, National Farmers Union is working to defeat legislative riders. Riders are a tool that appropriators use to block funds … Read More
By Barbara Patterson, government relations representative, National Farmers Union Last week, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2017 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which once again included the controversial GIPSA rider, a provision that proactively limits farmers’ basic rights and protections. Accompanying this bill was report language (this is guidance on the bill, but it … Read More
By Harrison Topp, Membership Director, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union When people ask what I grow, my first response is usually trees. Really, I’m an orchardist who produces stone-fruits, predominantly cherries and plums. But I have the closest relationship with my trees and with the ecosystem around them. From the “understory,” to the canopy, to the … Read More
By Katie Fisher, government relations intern, National Farmers Union The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development’s (RD) Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program is now accepting applications for fiscal year 2016. The application is due by July 1, 2016 and has approximately $44 million in funds available to producers who are entering into value-added … Read More
By Katie Fisher, government relations intern, National Farmers Union On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies met to discuss the opportunities for military veterans in agriculture. Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) called upon five witnesses to testify about their personal experiences with veterans in agriculture, … Read More