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Feeding America campaign back this year with a local twist

October 22, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Infographic Courtesy of Feeding America.

Infographic Courtesy of Feeding America.

The National Farmers Union is working again this year with Feeding America to raise money to help food banks across the nation. The difference this year is that our fundraising pledge gives Farmers Union members and friends an option to route their donation directly to their local food bank.

NFU, through our state organizations and individual members across the country has pledged to raise $50,000 for Feeding America. As with the past two campaigns, you can donate directly to Feeding America online through NFU’s page on the Feeding America site.

  • Click this link to donate now on Feeding America’s secure NFU donations page.

Or, if you prefer to ensure that your donation is used exclusively by your regional foodbank, but still counts for NFU’s pledge, you can do the following:

  • Click this link to go to the NFU website’s Feeding America page. You will follow the instructions in the second choice for donating.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Feeding America

Presidential remark worth noting

October 20, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

obamasmallIn remarks about the reopening of the federal government Thursday, President Barack Obama mentioned some other national priorities caught in the morass of a dysfunctional, hyper-partisan Congress. Among them was getting the Farm Bill done:

“We should pass a farm bill, one that American farmers and ranchers can depend on; one that protects vulnerable children and adults in times of need; one that gives rural communities opportunities to grow and the long-term certainty that they deserve.

“Again, the Senate has already passed a solid bipartisan bill. It’s got support from Democrats and Republicans. It’s sitting in the House waiting for passage. If House Republicans have ideas that they think would improve the farm bill, let’s see them. Let’s negotiate. What are we waiting for? Let’s get this done.”

Full transcript of the news conference here.

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Barack Obama, Farm Bill

Wise: Nutrient Management Not Just a Row Crop Farmer’s Problem

October 16, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Roger Wise

Roger Wise

by Roger Wise, President

Ronald Reagan said we must trust but verify. He was talking about the former Soviet Union and nuclear disarmament. He believed we had to trust them to do the right thing, but he was also realistic and experienced enough to know that verification was paramount to successful disarmament. That was in the 1980s.

Today the same analogy can be made regarding the “4Rs” and responsible manure and nutrient management and application. Most agree farmers want to (and usually do) embrace conscientious stewardship practices to help mitigate the effects of harmful Lake Erie algal blooms resulting from dissolved phosphorus runoff.

My perceived observation is that row crop farmers bear too much blame for the runoff problem in the Western Lake Erie basin watershed. They embrace variable rate technology, regularly soil test, and apply the right fertilizer at the right time. Cover crops are embraced more than ever, further reducing runoff and keeping nutrients incorporated where they belong. They do these practices not only because they are environmentally correct, but just as importantly because they are business people and know not doing them jeopardizes their bottom line.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Nutrient Managment

NFU Outlines Its Priorities for Farm Bill Endgame

October 15, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

In a letter to the House and Senate Agriculture Committee chairpersons and ranking members, National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson today outlined what the family farmer organization wants from the upcoming Farm Bill conference committee.

The Farm Bill has been stalled for over a year as part of the partisan wrangling mostly coming from so-called Tea Party Republicans in the House. Ohioan and House Speaker John Boehner has also stalled Farm Bill consideration at certain points last year and this year. There are currently House and Senate-passed Farm Bills which need to be reconciled in a conference committee. After weeks of inaction, Boehner allowed the House to form its half of the conference this past weekend.

“NFU is pleased to see the farm bill process move forward with the appointment of conferees,” said Johnson. “As you and other conferees begin formulating your positions on important farm bill conference issues, I urge you to consider the priorities of U.S. family farmers, ranchers, rural communities and hungry Americans.”

Johnson’s letter outlines several key issues for NFU and its members beginning with maintaining Farm Bill ‘permanent law.’ Dating back to requirements enacted in 1938 and 1949, the Farm Bill has had regular reviews and updates.

“Rescinding permanent law would remove the incentive to update and reauthorize the farm bill, leaving conservation, renewable energy, rural development, research, trade and other provisions without authority to continue,” said Johnson.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Farm Bill

U.S. House Finally Appoints Farm Bill Conferees

October 13, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

One member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio, Rep. Marcia Fudge (D), will be one of 29 members of the House side of a conference committee to begin negotiating with the Senate on differing versions of the Farm Bill.

The Farm Bill has been held up for a year as partisan games in the House have kept chances for bipartisan compromise with the Senate in limbo.

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson issued the following statement following the House appointing members to the farm bill conference committee:

“I am pleased to see that the House has finally taken action that will move the farm bill closer to completion. There is a lot of work to be done and this is a long-awaited announcement.

“I hope the conferees will consider the needs of all family farmers, ranchers, consumers and hungry Americans throughout its deliberations, and ultimately present a five-year, comprehensive bill with an adequate safety net that can be supported by both houses of Congress and by the president for adoption before the end of the year.”

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Farm Bill

More on Protecting COOL and Our Legal Defense Fund

October 13, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

The National Farmers Union along with others has intervened in the legal battle over Country of Origin Labeling on behalf the USDA’s efforts to implement the U.S. farmer and rancher (and consumer) friendly measure. The cost to be incurred for defending COOL is expected to run to $300,000 for the those supporting the USDA.

OFU President Roger Wise received this letter from Roger Johnson on Friday. As you may know, Johnson is president of the National Farmers Union. If you want the latest details and the reason for a legal defense fund, read the letter by following the previous link.

The most important thing you can do today is head over to the U.S. Cool Defense Fund and make a contribution. Any amount will help keep NFU and our allies in the fight.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: COOL, Legal Defense Fund

NFU: Government Shutdown Unfairly Punishing Family Farmers

October 10, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

As the country closes in on two weeks worth of federal government shutdown, the National Farmers Union continues to point out to lawmakers in D.C. how their ineptitude is hurting family farmers.

“Perhaps most disappointing about all of these manufactured crises, exacerbated by the lapsed farm bill, is that solutions are close at hand but Congress chooses not to execute them,” said Johnson.

In particular, NFU President Roger Johnson has been pointing at an early blizzard that wracked parts of the Great Plains last week and created havoc for cattle ranchers. Livestock losses are reaching into the tens of thousands after the pre-season winter storm and sever floods in Colorado earlier in September.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are prepared to handle events like these, but the government shutdown, along with the expired farm bill, leaves ranchers without the urgent help they need,” said Johnson. “Both the House and Senate versions of the pending farm bill include a retroactive livestock indemnity provision, which would provide much-needed assistance to ranchers but cannot be accessed because of the legislative stalemate.”

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Government Shutdown, Roger Johnson

COOL Remains Under Fire But You Can Help Defend It

October 10, 2013 By Ron Sylvester 1 Comment

The National Farmers Union along with several other consumer and farm groups have started a legal defense fund to help defray the costs of defending U.S. Country of Origin Labeling rules from a lawsuit recently filed by several corporate agriculture interests.

Initial estimates for the cost of joining the lawsuit in defense of USDA and COOL ranged from $150,000 to $200,000, but due to legal maneuvers by the plaintiffs, some estimates are reaching the $300,000 range.

NFU has partnered with U.S. Cattlemen’s Assoc., American Sheep Industry Assoc. and Consumer Federation of America to defend COOL against the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc., National Pork Producers and the American Meat Institute among other ‘Big Ag’ interests. The defenders of COOL recently won a preliminary victory when the court ruled against a move by plaintiffs to block implementing COOL rules while the lawsuit is being adjudicated.

NFU will be on the hook for its fair share of the final costs of defending COOL in court. OFU and NFU leadership are asking you to consider visiting www.uscooldefensefund.org today and making a donation to the legal defense fund set up by NFU and its partners.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: COOL

NFU Statement on GOP Congressional Government Shutdown & Farm Bill Expiry

October 1, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson issued the following statement this morning, amid a federal government shutdown and the expiration of the current farm bill:

“The U.S. Congress has put all Americans in a dire situation. The uncertainty created by the failure to come to an agreement on how to fund the government has overshadowed a situation that impacts the livelihood of so many family farmers, ranchers, fishermen and hungry people in this country.

“Today marks the second time that the 2008 Farm Bill was set to expire. We are once again in a time of uncertainty and limbo. NFU urges Congress to end the partisan politics that are presently taking over the ability to accomplish any business. House leadership should appoint conferees to the farm bill conference committee so that a five-year, comprehensive bill can be put forward for the president to sign. We simply cannot afford another extension or period of inaction.”

Filed Under: Blog

Federal Sequester Will Probably Reduce CRP & DCP Payments

September 30, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

According to the Coshocton Farm Service Agency’s latest enewsletter, federal sequestration – the across the board spending cuts affecting all agencies – will likely reduce payments for certain FSA programs.

It is expected that Fiscal Year 2013 benefits issued under both the Direct & Counter-cyclical Payment (DCP) program and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will be reduced. While the final reduction percentage has not been officially announced, benefits are expected to be reduced by around 5.1%.

The payment process normally begins for both these programs in the early part of October each year. Please be prepared for a possible delay in benefits that may occur due to program funding issues and/or staffing shortages.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Sequestration

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