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
Month: May 2015
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
Farmers Union Goes to School
Recently, New England Farmers Union attended two events at western Massachusetts high schools to talk to students about specific policy issues they can get involved in, such as GMO labeling, and to let future graduates know what kinds of careers are available in agriculture. The events presented an opportunity for Farmers Union representatives to spread the … Read More
Collaboration Supports Healthy Food Access at New England Food Co-ops
Over the past 18 months, New England Farmers Union Education Foundation, in partnership with affiliate member the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, worked with the Co-operative Fund of New England and Hunger Free Vermont on a project called Food Co-ops & Healthy Food Access. The project supports neighboring food co-ops to make healthy food and co-op ownership more … 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
GUEST BLOG POST 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 … 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