FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) today projected net farm income to decrease $4.3 billion from 2017 to $59.5 billion in 2018, a 52 percent drop since 2013. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson says the projection … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – American family farmers and ranchers are enduring the worst economic slide in generations, and they need Congress to pass a Farm Bill in 2018 to strengthen the farm safety net. In order to educate the general public and to generate support for … Read More
By Liz Brownlee, Co-Owner & Operator of Nightfall Farm My husband, Nate, knew one thing as a high schooler: he would never, ever work as a farmer. His high school summer job was on a grain farm near Franklin, Indiana, and while his bosses treated him well, the work was not, in his opinion, the … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 2, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt yesterday repeated his calls for reform to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and signaled his agency would take a more conservative approach to setting RFS volume obligations each year. The comments are a direct … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Every farm and every farm family is unique. Beginning intergenerational farmers generally do not learn everything they need to be successful in a uniform or linear way. On different farms, the established generation may or may not be willing to share fieldwork responsibility, or be … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 30, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – In his first State of the Union address, President Donald Trump continued his promises to turn the page “on decades of unfair trade deals” and to rebuild the nation’s “crumbling infrastructure,” both issues of major concern for American family farmers and ranchers. National … Read More
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Last week on the Climate Column, we discussed the risks of drought to agriculture, and proposed methods to help farmers prepare for and mitigate those risks. As drought increases in frequency, length, and severity and as temperatures rise globally, both of which are expected to occur as the climate continues to … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy No volume restrictions, no need for brick and mortar investments, and the chance to learn about customers want directly. Participating in a farmers market is often the most immediate access to market available to beginning farmers. But for as quickly and easily as beginning farmers … Read More
By Alexis Dunnum, NFU Executive Assistant As mentioned previously on the Climate Column, we have noted that drought is expected to become more frequent, severe, and damaging to farmers as climates continue to change around the world. Drought affects farming operations of all sizes and if farmers are not prepared, drought can lead to production … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2018 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – Given the persistent and ongoing economic challenges in farming and rural economies, National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling on Congress to increase funding for farm programs in the farm bill and pass the legislation as soon as possible. The NFU Board of … Read More