National Farmers Union News
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NFU Leads Launch of 2014 International Year of Family Farming Campaign
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson and members of the U.S. national committee to promote the United Nations’ (UN) International Year of Family Farming held a teleconference this morning to kick off events. “NFU is pleased to lead the U.S. efforts as a part of the global initiative that the UN is commencing today,” said Johnson. “In the United States and ...
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Applications Now Being Accepted for 2014 NFU Beginning Farmers Institute
National Farmers Union (NFU) is now accepting applications for its 2014 Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI) program. The annual program, now accepting its fourth class of students, is open to individuals who are new to farming, are in the process of transferring an operation from a relative or non-relative to themselves, or are contemplating a career in farming or ranching. "The Beginning Farmers ...
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NFU Urges Congress to Stay the Course on COOL
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to renewed efforts by opponents of Country-of-origin labeling (COOL) to repeal the consumer labeling requirements: "The World Trade Organization's report on COOL's compliance with trade obligations has reportedly been transmitted to the U.S. government but not yet been made available to the public. ...
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Recent Attempts to Strip COOL Law Misleading Consumers
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement today regarding recent attempts to reverse the United States’ Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) law: “U.S. packer-producer organizations and their foreign counterparts have been working overtime to undercut or reverse COOL law through multiple channels aggressively in recent weeks. “The ...
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NFU Cautiously Optimistic Following Omnibus Spending Bill Passage
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson expressed cautious optimism after the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives’ passage of the $1.1 trillion spending bill that will keep the federal government running through September. “It isn’t all too often that Congress passes bipartisan legislation. Let’s hope this spirit of cooperation continues through to the ...
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COOL Arguments Heard in Court
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement following the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit hearing arguments in the ongoing Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) lawsuit in which NFU is an intervener: "Today's argument presents to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit the question of whether the U.S. District ...
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NFU Hosts 2014 College Conference on cooperatives
Students from across the nation will gather in Minneapolis Feb. 14 -16, for ’s (NFU) College Conference on Cooperatives (CCOC), to learn how cooperative businesses operate for the benefit of their customers. The annual event focuses on how and why cooperatives succeed in America's competitive business environment. "In industries as varied as senior housing and child daycare to providing ...
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NFU Urges DOJ to Block Tyson’s Buyout of Hillshire
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to reports that Tyson Foods won a bidding war to acquire Hillshire Brands: “Tyson Food’s likely purchase of Hillshire benefits corporate owners at the expense of farmers and consumers. Our country is worse off because of the increasingly consolidated food and agriculture marketplace. ...
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House Passes Farm Bill, NFU Praises Efforts
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the H.R. 2642, the Agricultural Act of 2014, by a 251-166 vote this morning. “On behalf of the family farmers, ranchers, fishermen, rural residents and America’s consumers, I commend the House on passing the farm bill. The conference report is a true ...
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NFU Board to Congress: Do Not Abandon 2013 Farm Bill
The National Farmers Union (NFU) Board of Directors adopted a resolution today urging Congress to remain in session until the 2013 Farm Bill is completed. The following is the text of the resolution: “The National Farmers Union Board of Directors calls upon the U.S. Congress to remain in Washington, D.C., until it passes, and the president signs, a comprehensive five-year farm bill into ...
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NFU Represented on USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Advisory Committee
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Harden announced Thursday the appointment of 20 members to serve on the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. National Farmers Union Director of Education Maria Miller and New England Farmers Union member Michelle Conner were selected to sit on the committee. The committee will provide guidance to the secretary on expanding ...
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President Obama Signs 2014 Farm Bill
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement following President Obama signing the 2014 Farm Bill at a ceremony today: “The president’s signature brings closure to a long process of negotiations, sacrifice and compromise. The result is a solid piece of legislation that provides an adequate safety net in times of need, aids the hungry, protects ...
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NFU’s Goule Participates in Farm Journal Forum Panel
National Farmers Union (NFU) Vice President of Government Relations Chandler Goule participated in the Farm Journal Forum today on a panel entitled, “Point Counterpoint: Policy Innovations and Implications for Implementation.” “The Farm Journal Forum is always a great opportunity for policy dialogue across all sectors of the agriculture industry,” said Goule. Joining ...
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Agriculture Leads Year of Action
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 2642, the Agricultural Act of 2014: “Family farmers and ranchers have always been willing to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work that is needed to feed, fuel and clothe our nation and our world. It is only fitting that this legislation inspired Congress to do the ...
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NFU’s 2014 College Conference on Cooperatives a Success
More than 135 students from the United States and Puerto Rico participated in the National Farmers Union (NFU) College Conference on Cooperatives last week. The students learned how cooperative businesses are adapting to changing environments in order to succeed and heard from cooperative experts from across the nation on why member-owned businesses are thriving in industries ranging from senior ...
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Aging Farm Population Opens Door For Beginning Farmers
In celebration of the United Nations’ 2014 International Year of Family Farming, this month National Farmers Union (NFU) is highlighting opportunities for interested individuals to get into farming. According to the U.S. Census the average age of a farmer in the United States is 57. This is up from 54 in 1997. The percentage of farmers over 65 has increased by about 10 percent since 1969. ...
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Consumers Support COOL, Urge Defense of Law
A coalition of consumer organizations sent a letter to the 2013 Farm Bill Conference Committee members today (on November 13, 2013) in support of Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), urging members of Congress to defend the law and reject any calls for changes. As a longtime supporter of COOL, National Farmers Union (NFU) applauds the support of the consumer groups. “We appreciate the ...
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USDA Announces Conservation Programs that Benefit Beginning Farmers
Yesterday U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the beginning of a sign-up period for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and implementation of the Transition Incentives Program (TIP): “I applaud the administration’s efforts to protect vulnerable agricultural land for the benefit of future generations of farmers,” said National Farmers Union (NFU) Senior Vice ...
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National Farmers Union Celebrates International Year of Family Farming
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement declaring the organization’s support for the United Nations (UN) declaring 2014 the International Year of Family Farming: “As a grassroots organization comprised of family farmers, NFU is pleased that the UN has made this declaration and will be celebrating the rich tradition of family farming about ...
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NFU Responds to State of the Union Address
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s State of the Union address: “NFU is encouraged by the president’s commitment to our country’s energy future. Passage of the farm bill conference report, with an investment of $900 million in renewable energy, will take the initial step toward reaching the ...
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