FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (February 1, 2016) – More than 50 beginning farmers and ranchers have completed risk management and leadership training through the National Farmers Union’s Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI). The organization will be seeking candidates for its newest class and the next generation of leaders. … Read More
National Farmers Union Helps Provide Beginning Farmers With The Tools They Need
By Roger Johnson, president, National Farmers Union The demographics of American agriculture tell it all. Fully 57 percent of the nation’s 3.2 million farmers are within 10 years of retirement age or older, according to the 2012 Ag Census. That means agriculture will see a huge transition in the next decade or so, as retiring … Read More
NFU Women’s Conference Provides Management, Leadership Skills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 28, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. (January 28, 2016) – National Farmers Union (NFU) concluded its annual Women’s Conference, marking another successful year of providing women with important skills and guidance to confidently manage risks on their farming and ranching operations. “This conference offers women of all … Read More
New Toolkit Guides Farm to Institution Procurement
Farm to Institution New England (FINE) introduced a new resource to help local farmers and institutional buyers connect. The toolkit, “Setting the Table for Success: Increasing Local Food Purchasing by Institutional Food Service Management,” covers the basics of how institutional purchasing works and offers guidance for using the food service request-for-proposal and contract process to … Read More
Women Farmer Leaders Meet in Florida
National Farmers Union’s Women’s Conference, Women Making Moves, in Clearwater, Florida, began this weekend! We have one New England member attending: New England Farmers Union staffer Emma Sabella. Travel plans for dairy farmer Allie Bates from Springside Farms in New Vinyard, Maine, were thrown off by the snowstorm and she couldn’t attend. Sabella reports on several sessions … Read More
Microloan Expansion A Boost for Underserved, Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 19, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (January 19, 2016) – A federal microloan program designed to assist underserved farmers – including beginning farmers and ranchers, veterans, small producers and other underserved communities in agriculture – was expanded today. And that is great news for rural America, says National Farmers … Read More
Microloan Expansion A Boost for Underserved, Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
A federal microloan program designed to assist underserved farmers – including beginning farmers and ranchers, veterans, small producers and other underserved communities in agriculture – was expanded today. And that is great news for rural America, says National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson. “Beginning and underserved farmers face the same financial challenges when entering … Read More
Understanding AMS’ Withdrawal of Two Voluntary Marketing Claim Standards
New England Farmers Union Note: USDA AMS withdrew its grass-fed standard last week and there were a lot of questions from Farmers Union members. The New England Farmers Union legislative chair joined a recent stakeholder call to find out more about how this impacts producers. FSIS has committed to ensuring that all grass-fed claims remain truthful. … Read More
Understanding AMS’ Withdrawal of Two Voluntary Marketing Claim Standards
NFU Note: USDA AMS withdrew their grass-fed standard earlier this week and there were a lot of questions from NFU members. NFU reached out directly to the source to find out more about how this impacts producers. FSIS has committed to ensuring that all grass-fed claims remain truthful. Read more from AMS Deputy Administrator Craig Morris in … Read More