FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 23, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (February 23, 2016) – In response to legislation introduced last week by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., to set up a federal GMO labeling system, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson released the following statement: “National Farmers Union (NFU) represents … Read More
NFU Continues Excellence in Cooperative Education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 19, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org MINNEAPOLIS (February 19, 2015) – As supporters of cooperative businesses and young professionals, the nation’s second largest general farm organization will host more than 110 students from 15 colleges and universities here this weekend. The 2016 National Farmers Union (NFU) College Conference on Cooperatives … Read More
NFU Supports Expansion of Organic Insurance Coverage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 19, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (February 19, 2016) – Representing the interests of 200,000 family farmers and ranchers across the country, National Farmers Union applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) efforts to expand crop insurance coverage for organic producers. In an announcement Thursday, Secretary Vilsack stated that … Read More
Gaps Remain in Support for Urban Farms
By Dana Rushovich, production manager, Boone Street Farm When I first started working at Boone Street Farm over two and a half years ago, I was looking for a way to connect with my local community around food. I had just returned from my first full time farming experience in North Carolina and knew that … Read More
NFU Files Petition, Joins Coalition Seeking Court Review of EPA RFS Rule
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 12, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (February 12, 2016) – The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to set renewable fuel volume targets well below amounts required by law has created an uproar in rural America. In response, the nation’s second biggest general farm organization is asking the court system … Read More
Are We Prepared for Foot and Mouth Disease?
By Katie Fisher, government relations intern, National Farmers Union The Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing this morning about foot and mouth disease. National Farmers Union members place a tremendous amount of emphasis on maintaining domestic animal health. NFU even adopted a special order of business on animal disease protection at its … Read More
Secretary Vilsack, General Clark to Keynote NFU Convention
Farmers and ranchers attending the National Farmers Union (NFU) 114th Anniversary Convention will have the opportunity to hear from high-ranking experts in food and ag policy. NFU is pleased to announce U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and General Wesley Clark as keynote speakers at the annual convention, which kicks off March 5 and … Read More
Grow Local, Eat Local … Invest Local
Artisan Beverage Cooperative, a Greenfield, Mass.-based maker of high quality beverages, a worker-owned co-operative, and a New England Farmers Union member, recently secured approval of its Direct Public Offering (DPO) to Massachusetts residents. This method of “investment-based crowd-funding” is not widely known, but is being pioneered by socially-responsible, mission-based companies such as Equal Exchange, Real … Read More
Member Profile: Crave Food Services
What happens when a chef, obsessed with using local ingredients finds he’s spending more time finding and ordering food than actually cooking it? If the chef is Matt Tortora, he starts a tech company and builds an online platform to connect food service workers and chefs directly to local producers. Tortora and his team at Crave … Read More
NFU Applauds President’s Proposed Research Investments, Opposes Crop Insurance Cuts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 9, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (February 9, 2016) – After reviewing the president’s fiscal year 2017 budget proposal, which was released earlier today, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement: “With a lagging farm economy, low commodity prices and weather challenges, policies that provide … Read More