|
|
|
ACTION ALERT: Tell Members of Congress to Support MDIS
In March, delegates at NFU’s convention overwhelmingly voiced their support for a voluntary, farmer-owned Market-Driven Inventory System (MDIS) as an effective and affordable safety net for farmers. Since then, NFU government relations staff has educated key members of Congress and their offices about the importance of protections against extreme volatility in agricultural markets. Progress has been made and the proposal is catching on. Lawmakers need to hear from Farmers Union members who support the MDIS proposal.
Please send a message to your Congressional delegation in support of MDIS using NFU’s online assistant, which can be found by clicking here.
|
|
Energy Title Marker Bill Critical for Rural Development
NFU supports the 2012 Farm Bill Energy Title marker bill, introduced last week in the Senate by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and co-sponsored by Sens. Al Franken, D-Minn., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Kent Conrad, D-N.D. The bill would provide mandatory funding for programs such as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), and Biorefinery Assistance Program (BAP).
“These crucial energy programs will both create jobs in rural America and help wean the United States off of its addiction for foreign oil,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “These programs are also critical to helping us meet the Renewable Fuel Standard of producing 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2022.”
REAP in particular has been a boon to rural economies, creating or saving approximately 21,688 jobs since 2003 according to USDA.
“This bill is critical for rural development because it would help create stable policies to support agriculture and help to farmers open a new revenue stream through renewable energy,” said Johnson. “These programs will also help farmers cut costs and increase their energy efficiency. By using cleaner energy, and using it more efficiently, we help preserve our natural resources. We need to build America from the inside out.”
|
Member Profile: Tim Velde
Tim and his wife, Connie, farm approximately 2400 acres of corn and soybeans. The Veldes are also part of a marketing co-op that raises purebred berkshire hogs. In 1986 their farm became a century farm, meaning that the Veldes owned the farm for 100 years. Velde has been active both in his community and within Farmers Union, traveling to St. Paul and Washington, D.C., to advocate for family farmers.
|
NFU Blog
Don’t forget to check out NFU’s blog at www.nfu.org/blog. We will use this space to encourage dialogue about Farmers Union events throughout the country, education and outreach, our members, cooperative development and issues that impact U.S. family farmers, ranchers, fishermen and their communities.
Recent posts:
|
|
NFU Education Activities and Opportunities
Are You Looking For Work Experience? Check out NFU’s Internship Program
Grad Students: When can a 3-5 month job change your life? When it’s a Farmers Union internship on Capitol Hill! NFU is now accepting applications: http://www.nfu.org/education/internships. Extended internships available during the fall/winter/spring sessions.
Earn Cash for College
Looking for a way to earn money over your Holiday break from school? Check out the NFU scholarships. Editable versions of the PDF files are available at http://nfu.org/education/scholarships. Please note the changes in Seymour scholarship application, pay attention to the deadlines and note the mailing address on all scholarships.
Deadlines are approaching fast for the NFU scholarships.
Stanley Moore Scholarship (NFU): Postmark April 21, 2012
Stanley Moore Scholarship (Regional): Postmark April 21, 2012
Hungry for Ideas for the Classroom?
NFU offers the Farmer’s Share poster as a free pdf-style download for you to use in a classroom, county meeting or event such as a fair booth. Download it here: http://nfu.org/farmers-share. It is updated monthly using USDA statistics.
Also, you will find our latest classroom curriculum at this website as well. It is free and it offers four different lessons each for students in grades 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, and collegiate and adult. This year’s curriculum is “Growing Good Taste.” It uses fun and engaging activities to explain nutritional values, appropriate serving sizes, the food chain from farming to fork, and much, much more. We invite you to modify this any way you wish to tailor it to your educational style. Download it here: http://nfu.org/education/education-materials
Get Involved with the Farmer Veteran Coalition
The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) provides veterans with informational resources on beginning farming operations, educational retreats and conferences and when available, small grants. They assist Veterans in locating the resources needed to start a new career in the field of agriculture. Where available, the FVC provides mentors for veterans as well as connections to agriculture training programs. When approached by new veteran, the FVC will get a general picture of their service career, their specific interests and background in agriculture.
FVC also has assessment tools to assist Farming Veterans in determining their strengths and weaknesses and to ensure that their needs can be met through the application of appropriate resources. For more information or to get involved with FVC, please contact: Chris Ritthaler; National Veteran Outreach Coordinator. chris@farmvetco.org 530-756-1395
Annie’s Project Training for NFU Women’s Conference Complete
The training for Annie’s Project methodology was completed last week for the NFU Women’s Conference to be held June 21 – 23 in Bailey, Colo. This is an exciting new program aimed at empowering women in agriculture to become savvy business leaders and partners in today’s farming industry. Click here for a tentative conference agenda. Click here to register. Shown in this photo, from the left, is Annie’s Project trainer and co-director Madeline Schultz and Jan Kochis of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, who is on the NFU women’s conference planning committee. Also attending from National Farmers Union was Sue Arends and Maria Miller.
Help Fight Childhood Obesity
FoodCorps is a national non-profit that addresses our nation’s painful and costly childhood obesity epidemic using a three recipe ingredient for change: providing hands-on nutrition education, growing and tending school gardens, and getting healthy local food on to school cafeteria trays. So far this year these service members have reached over 20,000 children in 10 states. Recruitment for the 2012-2013 FoodCorps service term is here! Go to www.foodcorps.org.
Join us August 2-5, 2012 in Burlington, Vermont for the 6th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference: Digging In!
Whether you are new to the movement or have years of wisdom to share, the 6th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference: Digging In! is a great opportunity to network, build skills and get energized! We are now accepting workshop and poster session submissions. Conference registration will open May 2012. Log on to http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/6/ for more info.
Farm to Cafeteria began with the common goal of building strong communities, healthy individuals and resilient local farms. Across the country great progress has been made connecting farm-fresh foods with K-12 schools, pre-schools, childcare settings, colleges, universities, hospitals, prisons and beyond – now we are Digging In!
The conference will bring together food service professionals, farmers, educators, policy makers, representatives from government agencies and nonprofits, entrepreneurs, students and others who are breaking down barriers and expanding the impact of Farm to Cafeteria.
There will be skill-building short-courses, field trips to innovative Vermont farms and institutions, a diverse workshop program, and plenty of opportunities to network with inspiring individuals from across the country.
Join us August 2-5, 2012 in beautiful Burlington, Vermont, where we’ll be Digging In! to Farm to Cafeteria. |
|
LIVE CHATS on the OwnEnergy/NFU Alliance Website Portal
OwnEnergy and National Farmers Union have launched a new website portal for members! This website allows members to register and log in to participate in live chats with wind developers, participate in blogs on various topics related to the industry and learn more about many areas of wind development in our knowledge center. If you are interested in wind energy, please log on!
When you sign up with OwnEnergy as an NFU Member, you get access to these helpful and useful resources:
- Access premium content in the OwnEnergy Knowledge Center
- Participate in Live Chats with OwnEnergy and other NFU members
- Read the Wind Development Blog
- Join a wind development specialist each Thursday for a live chat. Log in anytime 4-6 p.m. EST to have your questions answered
Click here or go to www.yourownwindfarm.com for more information.
|
|
|
NFU Partners with Home Grown Cow
NFU is teaming up with Home Grown Cow to provide farmers and ranchers with an opportunity to market certain products directly to consumers. Home Grown Cow also gives consumers an opportunity to browse products by location and farming style.
Visit Home Grown Cow’s website at www.homegrowncow.com. |
Farmer’s Share of Retail Food Dollar
April 2011Retail Farmer’s
Product (unit) Price Share Change
Multi-purpose Flour (5 lbs.)…………………….$3.09…….$0.86………+
Bread (Wonder, 1 lb. loaf)……………………..$3.59…….$0.17………=
Wheaties, (15 oz.)………………………………$5.49…….$0.12………=
Beer, Miller Lite, 6 pack…………………………$7.19……..$0.05……..=
Soda (corn) 2 liter cola…………………………$1.19……..$0.11……..+
Milk (1 gallon, fat free)…………………………$4.89……..$1.50………-
Potatoes (Russet, 10 lbs.)**………………….$3.99……..$0.55……..+
Potato Chips (Lays Classic 10 oz.)**…………$4.29……..$0.22………=
Boneless Ham (per lb.)…………………………$3.99……..$0.89………=
Bacon (1 lb.)…………………………………….$5.29……..$0.89………=
Top Sirloin Steak (1 lb.)………………………..$8.49……..$2.09……..+
Eggs (1 doz. AA-L)……………………………..$4.39……..$0.89………+
Carrots (fresh. 5 lbs.)…………………………..$5.49……..$1.34……..+
Lettuce (head, 2 lbs.)………………………….$2.79……..$0.24………-
Tomatoes (1 lb.)……………………………….$3.28……..$0.51………+
* Retail prices: based on store brand except where noted from Safeway, Washington, D.C., March 29, 2012
** Potato Farmer’s Share reflects February prices.
Change indicates increase or decrease in farmer’s share from the previous month.
View a printable version of Farmer’s Share. Taken from “Agricultural Prices,” USDA/NASS. |
Farm Price Barometer
April 2012Current Parity % of
Commodity Price Price Parity
Crops
Barley (bushel)……………..5.37………..12.20……….44
Corn (bushel)……………….6.48………..11.60……….56
Cotton, Upland (lb) ……….0.936………..2.01……….47
Flaxseed (bushel)…………13.70………..30.70……….45
Oats (bushel)………………..3.58…………7.26……….49
Peanuts (lb)………………….0.343……….0.726……..47
Rice (cwt)…………………..14.10………..40.80………35
Sorghum Grain (cwt)……..11.30………..20.40………55
Soybeans (bushel)…………13.10………..27.90………47
Wheat (bushel)……………..7.24…………17.70………41
Livestock
Cattle (cwt)………………130.00……….282.00………46
Hogs (cwt)…………………65.80……….154.00………43
Dairy/Poultry
Eggs, (dozen)……………….0.890…………2.54………35
Milk, All (cwt)………………18.60…………50.30………37
*Lamb and manufacturing milk prices are one month behind all other prices in this analysis.
** Egg Prices are Mid-month in this analysis.
Taken from “Agricultural Prices,” USDA/NASS. |
|
|
