Minnesota Farmers Union

ST.PAUL (March 8, 2013) – Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) President Doug Peterson was re-elected as National Farmers Union (NFU) Secretary for the coming year at the 111^th Anniversary National Farmers Union Convention held March 2-6 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Over 40 MFU members traveled to Massachusetts to set NFU’s policy road map for the coming year. Most important discussions were of another five year farm bill, transparency of post-farm costs in the dairy industry, clarification of food safety practices for farmers, and requirement of the United States Postal Service to continue Saturday mail service.

Requiring conservation compliance in order to be eligible for crop insurance was also an issue of great debate. Limitation of payments were discussed as a viable option, but not adopted. The focus of this discussion was on the impacts brought to family farms, beginning farmers, and southern crop farmers.

ST.PAUL (January 7, 2013) – Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) President Doug Peterson would like to express his support to Minnesota Representative Collin Peterson in his call for assurance of debate from Speaker of the House, John Boehner, and House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor, in regards to crafting another possible farm bill. 

Speaker Boehner has been previously quoted saying, “We need to stop writing bills in the Speaker’s office and let members of Congress be legislators again… We have nothing to fear from letting the House work it’s will – nothing to fear from the battle of ideas. That starts with the Committees. The result will be more scrutiny and better legislation.” 

Representative Peterson, MFU and others alike confer that not allowing time for the Agriculture Committee’s bipartisan bill to be debated on the floor was a disregard to letting the house “work it’s will”.

MFU President Peterson would like to call to action all commodity groups to join in support of Representative Peterson, to support his endeavors of receiving assurance of a farm bill debate.

ST. PAUL (December 31, 2012) – Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) President Doug Peterson urged Congressional leaders in the United States Senate and House of Representatives to pass an extension of the current farm bill for nine months and continue to work on and pass a responsible five-year farm bill in the new Congress.

"With Congress at an impasse, a nine-month extension may be the only path to a five-year farm bill in the new Congress,” said Doug Peterson, MFU President. “An extension must be responsible and protect baseline funding and continue vital farm and consumer programs such as the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC), crop insurance, child and elderly nutrition, and conservation.”

Minnesota Farmers Union, standing for agriculture and fighting for farmers.

ST. PAUL (November 19, 2012) – The Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) held its 71st annual state convention on Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18.  Policy and special orders were passed, and delegates were elected for the National Farmers Union Convention in Springfield, Massachusetts, March 2-5.

“The delegates at our convention had an opportunity to express concerns and make changes to our policy – everyone has a voice in Minnesota Farmers Union,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President.  “That is why our convention is so important because our members discuss the crucial issues of rural Minnesota and make changes to our policy that will improve the future of family farmers and rural communities.”

The MFU delegates passed a special order of business urging Congress to pass, and the president to sign, a five-year farm bill by the end of the year.  The special order also expressed that MFU is opposed to any extension of the current, expired farm bill. The delegates addressed the expiring estate and depreciation taxes, and passed resolutions in support of local food, renewable energy, and property tax relief.

St. Paul (November 6, 2012) – Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) is having their 71^st annual state convention Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18 at the Ramada Plaza in Minneapolis. The business of the convention is the completion of the MFU grassroots policy, and delegates will be elected to represent Minnesota Farmers Union at the National Farmers Union convention in Springfield, Massachusetts in March, 2013.  Delegate discussion will surround the farm bill, re-instating the Homestead Market Value Credit, federal estate tax levels, and renewable energy.

“Minnesota Farmers Union policy is formed is by our members, they will discuss the crucial issues of rural Minnesota and changes that will improve the future of family farmers and rural communities. Our state convention is truly grassroots and member-driven, where everyone’s voice is heard” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President.

St. Paul (September 13, 2012) - Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) members return from Washington, D.C. where they expressed the urgency of the Senate and House passing a farm bill by September 30, 2012. 

“With less than eight congressional working days left, Congress still has time to get this bill done.  Farmers deserve to know where they stand so they can plan for the future,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President. “The agriculture sector employs 23 million Americans, that is one in every twelve jobs, plus this bill covers nutrition, conservation, energy and trade and needs to get done now!”

During the fly-in, MFU members met with senators and representatives, had a briefing from senior White House staff, heard from United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and other ag officials and also attended a Farm Bill Now Rally with hundreds of other farmers and supporters of the farm bill.  

WHAT:  Farmers Union legislative Washington, D.C. fly-in. With eight Congressional working days left for Congress to finish up important business like the farm bill and other critical rural issues, the Farmers Union legislative fly-in becomes even more crucial. Attendees will meet with senators and representatives, hear from representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture, and attend a “Farm Bill Now” rally to encourage Congress to pass a farm bill in 2012, as well as attend a White House briefing.

WHEN:  Monday, September 10- Wednesday, September 12 

ST. PAUL (April 23, 2012) – Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) members just returned from Washington, D.C. where they met with their senators and representatives to discuss farm policy.

“These fly-ins are so important because it gives the Minnesota Members of Congress an opportunity to hear what is really going on in the countryside,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President. “Our members get some one-on-one time with their representatives and senators to tell them why it is important to have a farm bill done this year, how a strong energy policy helps sustain rural Minnesota, the importance of crop insurance and how decisions they make in Washington, D.C. impact folks in rural Minnesota.”

Agriculture is a primary driver of our rural and national economy, providing employment for one in 12 Americans, and is a job-creating industry based upon sustained production by approximately 2.2 million family farmers and ranchers.

Topics discussed during the fly-in were:

St. Paul (March 8, 2012) – Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) members return from the National Farmers Union (NFU) Convention held in Omaha, Nebraska. 

“The National Farmers Union Convention is important because it is a great display of grassroots policy-making,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President. “National Farmers Union members from throughout the country decide policies important to farmers, and give direction to Congress.”

Farmers Union delegates re-elected President Roger Johnson and Vice President Claudia Svarstad and passed special orders of business relating to investment priorities in the 2012 Farm Bill, the Market-Driven Inventory System, Country-of-Origin Labeling, dairy, beginning farmer programs, the beef checkoff, and cuts to rural U.S. Postal Service offices.  You can view each Special Order here, http://nfu.org/policy-nfu/special-orders-of-business.

Members heard from numerous speakers, including U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Reps. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., and Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis.