By Allison Kaika, NFU Intern Fresh produce lining the street, neighbors mingling, the smell of baked goods wafting in the breeze. This is a scene many of us have come to know and love: a weekend morning at your local farmers market. In addition to the aesthetic appeal and community atmosphere, farmers markets stimulate the … Read More
By Cindy Finneseth, PhD, with support from Allison Kaika, National Farmers Union Intern As a part of the Local Food Safety Collaborative (LFSC)’s work on produce safety outreach to farmers, education and training, Kentucky Horticulture Council (KHC) and its partners have put together a project to teach Kentucky’s produce farmers about requirements for testing agricultural … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 2, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON– The U.S. Senate yesterday passed the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019, a bill that will expand family farmers’ access to relief under Chapter 12 farm bankruptcy rules by increasing the debt limit from $4.2 million to $10 million. The bill, which was … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org YPSILANTI– Following the release of its disappointing 2020 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today hosted a public hearing to gather feedback from farmers and other stakeholders on the proposed rule. The proposal would maintain … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON– With little relief in sight for persistently low commodity prices, U.S. family farmers and ranchers are facing a bleak economic future. But a bipartisan bill introduced today by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) would help restore prosperity to rural America … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON– Two months after announcing its intentions to provide a new package to assist family farmers and ranchers coping with trade damages, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released finalized details about the timing and calculation of direct payments to producers through the … Read More
This article was written by Kate Prengaman and originally posted on the Good Fruit Grower website. Prengaman is the editor for Good Fruit Grower, writing articles for the print magazine and website. Here, she covers an On-Farm Readiness Review in Grandview, Washington where growers gathered together to learn about compliance with the Food Safety Modernization … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – Today’s farmers have to do more than just grow food; running a successful operation requires a broad range of skills, including marketing, business management, mechanical repair, and agronomy. To more effectively meet the growing needs of family farmers and ranchers, National Farmers … Read More
New data from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration shows that rural communities have the highest death rates nationwide from opioid prescriptions, more than three times the national average. A previously unreleased database from DEA tracking prescription painkillers showed that the highest per-capita opioid death rates from 2006 to 2012 were in rural communities in West Virginia, … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 18, 2019 Contact: Jenny Hopkinson, 202.554.1600jhopkinson@nfudc.org WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) relocation of two major research agencies is “misguided” and “detrimental to family farmers and ranchers and rural communities,” according to the nation’s oldest general farm organization. National Farmers Union (NFU), whose 200,000 members support increased funding for public agricultural … Read More