The decision by the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) is due sometime in mid to late May, and when that announcement happens, Congress needs to resist any attempts to change the popular labeling law until the WTO appeals process has been completely exhausted and a final determination is reached. It would be … Read More
NFU Action Alert: COOL on the House Floor
Next week is going to be a very tough week for popular labeling law Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL). NFU expects the bill to repeal major parts of the law to be on the House floor between Tuesday and Thursday! Please call your House member and ask them to speak against the COOL repeal bill when the … Read More
NFU Supports Clean Reauthorization of Grain Standards Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 5, 2015) Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 5, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson this week urged the Senate to pass a clean reauthorization of the U.S. Grain Standards Act, calling the current system “the world’s gold standard.” “Today’s framework, overseen by the Federal Grain Inspection … Read More
TV Show Featuring Nine Farmers Union Members Nominated for a New England Emmy Award
The 38th Annual Boston/New England Emmy® Awards has announced that The Chef’s Plate: A Taste of New England’s “Farm Fresh Chef Challenge” has been nominated for best “Lifestyle Program Special.” The Chef’s Plate (TCP) in partnership with the New England Farmers Union filmed a special episode of TCP called the “Farm Fresh Chef Challenge” in … Read More
Agri-Pulse Guest Column: It’s Not Just Consumers in the U.S. Who Demand To Know Where Their Food Comes From
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 1, 2015) Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON (May 1, 2015) – National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson argues that regardless of the upcoming announcement from the World Trade Organization (WTO) on America’s popular labeling law – Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) – Congress needs to let the WTO process run its … Read More
Congress Should Not Support TPA
John Hansen is president of the Nebraska Farmers Union and served as a U.S. Trade Representative trade adviser for three administrations for 14 years starting in 1994. TPA, also known as Fast Track Authority, provides the administration with trade-negotiating direction and authority while also forcing Congress to vote up or down on trade proposals without … Read More
Trade Promises Have Failed to Materialize
By Roger Noonan, president, New England Farmers Union Promises of expanded trade benefiting U.S. farmers and rural communities have been made during the debates for NAFTA, CAFTA, and the U.S.-Korean Free Trade Agreements and now the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). These benefits have failed to materialize. Instead, rural communities have been roiled by profound economic instability. … Read More
New Dairy Training Program Brings in Beginning Farmers
Conventional dairy is in decline and the average age of dairy farmers in Maine is approaching 60. Too few young people are entering organic dairy. Meanwhile, the demand for organic milk is increasing at a dramatic rate, creating a nationwide shortage of organic milk. To address these challenges, Wolfe’s Neck Farm, an educational nonprofit farm … Read More
Dairy Farmer Chelsea Kruse on Finding Farming
Chelsea Kruse delivered this talk at the National Farmers Union convention in Wichita, Kansas, in March. My name is Chelsea Kruse, I’m a member of New England Farmers Union and a student of the 2014 Beginning Farmers Institute. I grew up in a very rural and unknown corner of New Hampshire, but I have no … Read More
Finding Farming
By Chelsea Kruse, 2014/2015 Beginning Farmer Institute participant My name is Chelsea Kruse, I’m a member of New England Farmers Union and a student of the 2014 Beginning Farmers Institute. I grew up in a very rural and unknown corner of New Hampshire, but I have no beginning in agriculture, no familial ties into farming. My … Read More