Ohio Farmers Union

Serving Family Farmers and Consumers Since 1934



United to Grow Family Agriculture Since 1934

NFU VP of Government Relations Addresses Renewable Energy Issues at Conference

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WASHINGTON (June 21, 2011) – National Farmers Union (NFU) Vice President of Government Relations Chandler Goule spoke to attendees of the Biogas East and Midwest 2011 Conference today about energy programs in the 2012 Farm Bill and potential challenges that those programs face.

“Programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) have become very popular recently,” said Goule. “EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to producers to help plan and implement conservation practices. Unfortunately, the Fiscal Year 2012 budget that just passed the U.S. House of Representatives cuts EQIP funding twenty percent from what was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. These budget cuts also affect the program going forward, reducing the baseline in the 2012 Farm Bill.”

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NFU’s Johnson: Ending support for ethanol puts Big Oil over rural America

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WASHINGTON  – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement ahead of a potential vote in the U.S. Senate on an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn that would retroactively end support for ethanol. NFU joined a coalition of agriculture and renewable energy organizations in sending a letter to Senate leadership today opposing the measure.

“NFU is strongly opposed to the amendment by Sen. Coburn to kill the best alternative Americans have to overpriced foreign oil. According to an Iowa State University study, ethanol currently provides American consumers nearly a dollar in savings at the pump for every gallon of fuel they purchase. At the same time, ethanol is breathing fresh air into our rural economies and creating jobs.

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Ohio Farmers Union Ad in latest Edible Columbus

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OFU President Roger Wise wants to let the foodies, slow food devotees and farmers market supporters in Columbus know that the Ohio Farmers Union is an organization that they should know about.

OFU is running an advertisement in the summer edition of Edible Columbus – a beautiful magazine circulated around the capital city and read by gourmands and others who enjoy eating out and dining at home when local food with a conscience is on the menu.

“From time to time we need to think about the final link in the food chain – the consumer,” said Wise

“We chose to advertise with Edible Columbus because they highlight locally grown and produced food and the restaurants that use local ingredients. There are also two articles in the latest edition of the magazine that feature family farms in Ohio,” he added.

Edible Columbus is part of Edible Communities Publishing a publications and information company that produces editorially rich, community-based, local-foods publications in distinct culinary regions throughout the United States and Canada.

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Ohio’s Eschmeyers Chosen for NFU Beginning Farmers Institute

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Jeff & Deb Eschmeyer at garlic harvest time at Harvest Sun Farm.

WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union (NFU) is pleased to announce that Jeff and Deb Eschmeyer of New Knoxville, Ohio are among the 10 participants selected for NFU’s new Beginning Farmer Institute.

“Today’s farmers face a wide array of challenges,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “The Beginning Farmer Institute will provide these participants with a better working knowledge of the tools available to help them succeed.”

Institute participants will learn about financial planning, farm management, and farmer-owned cooperatives. In addition, they will help determine the agenda based on what they have identified as important on their farm. Topics include marketing, understanding U.S. Department of Agriculture programs, renewable energy, recording keeping or understanding the local food system.

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Home Grown Cow Helps Family Farmers Market Directly to Consumers

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The National Farmers Union has created an online partnership with Home Grown Cow to give Ohio Farmers Union members an opportunity to market certain farm products directly to consumers.

NFU announced this new partnership June 1.  Home Grown Cow gives consumers an opportunity to browse products by location and farming style.

“This is a great opportunity for family farmers and ranchers to create additional revenue and market their meat, poultry, and cheeses to a larger market,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “This also gives consumers an opportunity to know the farmer they are purchasing from and what practices he or she uses. It is a very transparent marketplace that benefits both producers and consumers.”

The website helps connect producers directly to consumers. Many consumers are unsure of how to purchase directly from farms, and farmers and ranchers sometimes struggle to find new customers.

“NFU has been a very strong advocate of connecting producers and consumers, and that is exactly what Home Grown Cow does,” said Home Grown Cow CEO John Aikman. “This opens up many new markets for family farmers and ranchers, providing them with additional sources of revenue. At the same time, it offers consumers an opportunity to know exactly where their food is coming from, so they can be more connected to their food and become more knowledgeable consumers. Everybody wins.”

Visit Home Grown Cow’s website at www.homegrowncow.com.

Own your own windfarm?

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WASHINGTON (May 25, 2011) – National Farmers Union (NFU) Vice President of Government Relations Chandler Goule addressed attendees of the Windpower 2011 conference in Anaheim, Calif. on Wednesday and talked up the virtues of wind power projects.

The conference was sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Goule was one of three panelists on a panel entitled “Community Wind: Power for People.”

“NFU has long been an advocate for community wind projects, and with good reason,” said Goule. “Community wind projects produce 2.6 times as many jobs and 3.1 times as much economic benefit compared to wind projects with outside ownership.”

Goule also highlighted NFU’s partnership with OwnEnergy, which allows NFU members to become involved with a community wind project.

“NFU has teamed up with community wind developer OwnEnergy to build and operate community wind projects across the country,” said Goule. “Community wind projects are great for rural America because they give farmers and ranchers an additional revenue stream while simultaneously producing clean energy. We are very excited about the possibilities for rural America that are created by community wind, and seek public policy opportunities to encourage community wind across the U.S.”

OFU Teams With OSU Buckeye Club on Grow Forward

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The Ohio State University Department of Athletics’ Buckeye Club and the Ohio Farmers Union are teaming up with others in Ohio agriculture to build support for OSU’s student athletes through a unique program aimed at Ohio farmers.

Through Grow Forward, Ohio farmers will be able to donate bushels of grain and corn at their local elevator. Proceeds will benefit Buckeye scholar-athletes. Farmers who donate will earn at a minimum a football season ticket application and various premiums over and beyond that according to how much they donate. Premiums include football parking passes, men’s basketball practice passes, seats in an OSU luxury suite for a football game and walk-on golf course privileges among other exclusive rewards.

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Ohio Farmers Union
P.O. Box 363
1011 N. Defiance Street
Ottawa, Ohio 45875
Phone: (419) 523-5300
Toll Free: (800) 321-3671