By Tom Driscoll, government relations representative, National Farmers Union On Tuesday, May 19, the White House’s Pollinator Health Task Force released the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. The strategy includes: calls for additional funds for pollinator health research, increased and improved pollinator habitat through conservation programs, enhanced management of … Read More
NFU Calls COOL Repeal Bill “Premature, Reactionary;” Reminds Congress Threats of Retaliation Only Relevant if Parties Fail to Find Agreement on Moving Forward
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2015 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 19, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson called the House bill to repeal the popular Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), “premature and reactionary,” noting that there remains ample opportunity for the administration, Mexico and Canada to negotiate an acceptable path forward. “The … Read More
NFU Kicks Off Special Spring Fly-In Focusing on Popular Country-of-Origin Labeling Law
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 19, 2015) Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 19, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) kicked off a special Spring Fly-In of family farmers and ranchers from across the country meeting with their elected officials in Washington and underscoring their unwavering support for Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) and the need for … Read More
NFU Says Despite Today’s WTO Decision, There is Still a Path Forward for COOL; Notes Threats of Retaliation Only Relevant if Parties Fail to Find Agreement on Moving Forward
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2015 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 18, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson said while the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has issued its decision today, there is still ample opportunity for the administration, Mexico and Canada to negotiate an acceptable path forward. … Read More
Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee Hears from EPA
By Tom Driscoll, government relations representative, National Farmers Union The Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC), a federal advisory committee composed of diverse stakeholders and tasked with providing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) feedback on various pesticide regulatory, policy and program implementation issues, met in the D.C. metro area this week. EPA officials addressed the … Read More
Funds Available to Offset Organic Certification Costs
By Barbara Patterson, government relations representative, National Farmers Union National Farmers Union (NFU) recognizes the increasing importance of organic family farming. While the organic market continues to grow, NFU will advocate ensuring accreditation and certification costs do not discriminate against small producers. One way to assist small organic producers to support their continued viability is … Read More
Congress Needs to Reauthorize the CFTC
By Zack Clark, government relations representative, National Farmers Union It is a well-known fact that farming is a risky endeavor. General risk and uncertainty, be it weather or volatile price fluctuations, can wreak havoc on a farm’s financial wellbeing. A range of risk management tools aids producers in mitigating the impacts of uncontrollable events. One … Read More
NFU Voices Concerns with Petition for Organic Checkoff
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 13, 2015) Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 13, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson today voiced concerns over a recent petition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to begin the process of setting up a checkoff program for the organic industry under the 1996 Generic … Read More
COOL: We Fought Hard for A Generation to Win This, And We’re Not Giving Up Now
By Kent Peppler, president, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Although Congress passed a law requiring that meats have their origins on their label in 2002, corporate interests in the U.S. and our chief trade competitors – Canada and Mexico – have tried every trick imaginable to block the country-of-origin-labeling law from staying on the books. Now, … Read More
Grants Available to Fund Rural Business Development
By Barbara Patterson, government relations representative, National Farmers Union The renewal of rural America through increased business and agriculture cooperative development remains at the forefront of Farmers Union’s mission. One program for these purposes is the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG), something NFU has been an advocate for since the mid-1990s. NFU voiced its support for the program during the … Read More