By Matt Perdue, NFU Government Relations Representative Previous Climate Column posts have discussed how cover crops help farmers and ranchers adapt to and mitigate climate change. Planting cover crops can improve soil health and water quality, optimize water use, increase productivity, decrease input costs, and reduce carbon emissions. As cover crops grow in popularity, it’s crucial to … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 23, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The transition to a homegrown, renewable energy future for America is underway. Biofuels, higher blends of ethanol in gasoline, and advanced, bio-based technologies are reaping tremendous benefits for our environment and providing much-needed economic stability to America’s farming and rural communities. The … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy National Farmers Union’s other weekly blog, the Climate Column, has highlighted the value of conservation planning, which assists with the selection and implementation of practices that address specific conservation concerns, such as pest management, biodiversity, or soil health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Producers face many severe challenges stemming from climate change. A 2013 report published by the U.S Department of Agriculture, Climate Change and Agriculture in the United States: Effects and Adaptation, estimates that “under climate change, losses to corn production in the United States from precipitation … Read More
By Barbara Patterson, NFU Director of Government Relations, and Roger Noonan, New England Farmers Union President A few weeks ago, we shared the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Needs Assessment Survey. This week, we will cover another FSMA-related topic: what is excluded or exempt from the Produce Safety Rule, which sets regulatory standards for the … Read More
By Barbara Patterson, NFU Director of Government Relations, and Roger Noonan, New England Farmers Union President A few weeks ago, we shared the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Needs Assessment Survey here on the Beginning Farmer Forum (BFF). This week, BFF will cover another FSMA-related topic: what is excluded or exempt from the Produce Safety … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 16, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Trade representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico will meet here today to begin an official renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The renegotiation provides the Trump Administration with an opportunity to fulfill one of the president’s top campaign … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy In Fiscal Year 2016, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) issued 29,602 direct loans to farmers and ranchers totaling $2.39 billion. Of those, almost 17,800 were allocated to beginning producers. The proportion of loans to beginning producers is high because in many cases, FSA is the … Read More
By Adam Pauley, NFU Intern For the past several weeks on the Climate Column, we’ve noted that climate change is contributing to rising pest pressures. Frost-sensitive pests are living longer, and rising temperatures are opening new areas to infestation. Farmers are responding to this growing problem by adjusting their pest management strategies. However, some common ways … Read More
Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) urges Nebraskans with interest in the proposed Keystone XL routes to go to the Nebraska Public Service (PSC) website to view the three primary routes under consideration: http://www.psc.nebraska.gov/natgas/Keystone_Pipeline.html NeFU says that a view of the three Keystone XL routes proposed by the foreign pipeline company TransCanada including the Preferred Route … Read More