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
Congress Should Keep its Hands Off of COOL Until WTO Process Is Over
By Roger Johnson, president, National Farmers Union The decision by the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) is due sometime in mid to late May, and when that announcement happens, Congress needs to resist any attempts to change the popular labeling law until the WTO appeals process has been completely exhausted and a … Read More
NFU Encourages Support for Reauthorization of Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting; Offers Suggestions for More Accurate, Usable Data
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 6, 2015) Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 6, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson today encouraged Congress to reauthorize the Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting Act — an important tool in combatting problems caused by high concentration and vertical integration in livestock markets — and offered suggestions … Read More
NFU Action Alert: COOL on the House Floor
Next week is going to be a very tough week for popular labeling law Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL). NFU expects the bill to repeal major parts of the law to be on the House floor between Tuesday and Thursday! Please call your House member and ask them to speak against the COOL repeal bill when the … Read More
NFU Supports Clean Reauthorization of Grain Standards Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 5, 2015) Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 5, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson this week urged the Senate to pass a clean reauthorization of the U.S. Grain Standards Act, calling the current system “the world’s gold standard.” “Today’s framework, overseen by the Federal Grain Inspection … Read More
Agri-Pulse Guest Column: It’s Not Just Consumers in the U.S. Who Demand To Know Where Their Food Comes From
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 1, 2015) Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 1, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson argues that regardless of the upcoming announcement from the World Trade Organization (WTO) on America’s popular labeling law – Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) – Congress needs to let the WTO process run its … Read More