By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union As its mother protectively stands guard, her newborn calf, supported precariously by its wobbly legs, looks curiously at its surroundings and then begins nursing. For four generations, this heart-warming scene has signaled spring on the Wonnenberg Ranch near Dallas, Texas. And even though it’s been a part of … Read More
Month: April 2017
Access to Land: The Wonneberg Ranch Family & Succession Planning
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union As its mother protectively stands guard, her newborn calf, supported precariously by its wobbly legs, looks curiously at its surroundings and then begins nursing. For four generations, this heart-warming scene has signaled spring on the Wonnenberg Ranch near Dallas, Texas. And even though it’s been a part of … Read More
Access to Markets: Colorado Herb Cooperative
By Stephanie Syson, Lead Grower & Owner of Biodynamic Botanicals The United States is a large consumer of medicinal herbs, mainly in the form of value-added products such as dietary supplements, teas, personal care products, cosmetics, and other nutraceuticals. However, many of the herbs used to make these products are imported from foreign markets. In … Read More
NIFA Announces $4.8 Million in Available Funding for Food Safety Projects
April 27, 2017 By Skylar Schneider, Executive Assistant Contact: Chelsea Matzen, 202-554-1600 cmatzen@nfudc.org This week the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $4.8 million in available funding through the Food Safety Outreach Program. Per NIFA, the purpose of this funding is to “develop and implement food safety training, … Read More
Access to Markets: Cooperatives
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Although you might not know it, cooperatives are woven throughout every industry in the United States, including housing, banking, agriculture, food retail, and healthcare, providing people with basic goods and services through collectively owned and democratically organized businesses and organizations. Opportunities for cooperatives exist when a group of people or organizations share a … Read More
Update on the State Produce Implementation CAP
April 25, 2017 By Skylar Schneider, Executive Assistant Contact: Chelsea Matzen, 202-554-1600 cmatzen@nfudc.org In September 2016, 42 states received federal funding through the State Produce Implementation Cooperative Agreement Program (CAP) to be used for development of produce safety programs that provide education, technical assistance, inspection, compliance, and oversight regarding the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). … Read More
NFU Statement on Sonny Perdue’s Confirmation as Agriculture Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today confirmed former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response to the announcement: “Having endured months of the current farm crisis and drastic … Read More
What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Soil Health Champions Network
By Beth Mason, NACD North Central Region Representative In 2014, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) began a three-year project to increase the adoption of soil health practices across the United States. The project consists of two initiatives – one focused on quantifying the monetary benefits of using soil health practices, and the other on … Read More
Farmers Union Marches for Science
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 22, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – Marching in cities across the United States, members of National Farmers Union (NFU) joined the world’s first-ever March for Science today, emphasizing the vital role that science should play in everyday life and in federal policymaking. NFU President Roger Johnson, a third-generation … Read More
Access to Efficiency: The Wienk Charolais Farm Family & Technology
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Thumbing through a recent Wienk Charolais sale catalogue, Arnold Wienk, 78, recalls what it was like in the early years. “When I first sold bulls, the only number we gave buyers was the birthdate.” The glossy flyer is filled with photos of breeding stock and several columns of … Read More