Access to Efficiency: Water & Prior Appropriation

June 6, 2017Beginning Farmers No Comments

By Steven Emmen, NFU Intern It would be very difficult to be a successful farmer without adequate access to water. Depending on the topography of the region and the basin that a farmer is diverting from, they will face vastly different issues when acquiring water. When managing water resources there are two things to always remember: the … Read More

Access to Efficiency: Water & Prior Appropriation

June 6, 2017Beginning Farmers No Comments

By Steven Emmen, NFU Intern It would be very difficult to be a successful farmer without adequate access to water. Depending on the topography of the region and the basin that a farmer is diverting from, they will face vastly different issues when acquiring water. When managing water resources there are two things to always remember: the … Read More

What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Nitrogen Management Pilot Project

June 5, 2017Climate Column No Comments

By Robert Parkhurst, Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Markets Director at Environmental Defense Fund With international trade pressures, low commodity prices, and unpredictable weather patterns, it’s a tough time for agriculture right now. But farmers are now and have always been innovative and resilient – and very resourceful. That’s why a new opportunity might be of interest to … Read More

Access to Markets: Pricing

June 2, 2017Beginning Farmers No Comments

By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Pricing has been one of the most difficult ideas in farming for me to wrap my head around. Estimating cost of production can be difficult in a small but highly diversified operation. Most farmers don’t keep track of how many hours were spent weeding and managing rows of carrots versus rows … Read More

Stand Up for Family Farmers – Pass the Farmer Fair Practices Rules

June 1, 2017Blog No Comments

By Skylar Schneider, NFU Executive Assistant Nearly 100 years ago, Congress passed the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, which was written to both address abuses by major livestock and poultry meatpackers as well as ensure effective competition within the market. The act prohibits unfair practices and undue preferences, and aims to shield producers from anti-competitive … Read More

Access to Markets: The Perils of Price

May 31, 2017Blog No Comments

By Chris Holman, Co-Owner/Operator of Nami Moon Farms As beginning producers, what sorts of obstacles do we create in order to keep doing what we’re doing? There were plenty of them, but today let’s talk about one that will kill you and your farm faster than almost any other—price. When we started out at Nami … Read More

Farmers Union: Agitate, Organize, Educate, and Cooperate

May 31, 2017Blog No Comments

By Tom Giessel, NFU Historian Owen Franklin Dornblazer was the 11th person to join The Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America in 1902. He lived to the age of 94 and was active in organizational and membership work until the final few months of his life. At age 85, addressing the 1926 NFU convention, … Read More

What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Federal Support for Climate Research

May 30, 2017Climate Column No Comments

By Hannah Packman, NFU Communications Coordinator Climate science, a multidisciplinary field that addresses the causes and effects of climate change, predicts future trends, and establishes mitigation and adaptation practices, is increasingly vital as extreme temperatures and erratic weather become more common. We all benefit from climate change research, but it is particularly critical for family … Read More

Access to Markets: The Greenway Farm Family & Farm Advocacy

May 26, 2017Beginning Farmers No Comments

By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union A $200 scholarship from the Davison County Pork Producers in 1984 launched Brad Greenway on an agricultural advocacy journey which has put him in front of thousands of consumers coast-to-coast and around the world to share his story. “That scholarship got me involved,” explains the third-generation pork producer. Brad’s engagement … Read More