National Farmers Union, as part of a coalition with eight other organizations, wrote the following Brief: EPA’s 2017‐2025 Light Duty Vehicle Rule Discourages Alternative Fuel Use 25x’25 Partners Brief While there are a number of obstacles impeding further growth in alternative energy, few are as critical as the joint EPA/NHTSA proposed rules establishing light-­‐dutyvehicle GHG … Read More

By Brittany Jablonsky, Government Relations Representative National Farmers Union has joined a coalition of 39 of the nation’s foremost agricultural organizations in an effort to raise public awareness of the need for Congress to pass a new, comprehensive, five-year farm bill before current farm programs expire in September. The coalition, called Farm Bill Now, comprises … Read More

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin & Tom Ewing from 25×25 Alliance wrote an Op-Ed today titled Leave Renewable Fuels Standard Alone. Below is the Op-Ed which was published today in Politico. Leave Renewable Fuels Standard Alone August 21, 2012 Politico Stephanie Herseth Sandlin & Tom Ewing America is suffering from the worst drought since the Dust Bowl. … Read More

Editor’s note: The following blog post was written by USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Rebecca Blue. It is reposted here with permission. Blue recently wrote about her experience attending the NFU’s Women’s Conference, held last month in Bailey, Colo. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of participating in a … Read More

By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU Government Relations Representative In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a proposed rule for a new microloan program within the existing Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) operating loan program. FSA proposes to offer annual or term microloans of up to $35,000 that feature a streamlined application process and less stringent requirements in order … Read More

As my time is Washington is quickly waning, it is hard to look back and believe that I have already been here for over two months.  It seems like only yesterday that I said goodbye to my family and boarded an airplane for the first time, and set off to explore an exciting new chapter … Read More

By Brittany Jablonsky, Government Relations Representative One area in which the farm bill draft recently passed by the House Committee on Agriculture differed significantly from the version of the bill passed by the Senate last month was a section dealing with agricultural biotechnology. These provisions, found in the horticulture title of the House bill, would … Read More

By Brittany Jablonsky, Government Relations Representative On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled an update to its Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass highlighting all of the ways USDA supports local and regional food projects. The Compass consists of an interactive U.S. map showing local and regional food projects and an accompanying narrative … Read More

By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative Although NFU members have been feeling the effects of the drought all summer, it has only begun making headlines this week in the wake of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) heavy focus on emergency outreach. More than 1,200 counties in 29 states have been granted a disaster … Read More

Editor’s note: The following blog post is written by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. It is reposted here with permission. Every day, the work of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conserve America’s lands and natural resources stretches across our nation. As President Obama and I work together to boost the rural economy and … Read More