ST. PAUL – Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) honored Paul Sobocinski with a Dedicated Service to Rural Communities award during a Nov. 22 awards program.

Sobocinski and his wife, Candy, have a diversified livestock and crop farm in Wabasso, which they are transitioning to beginning farmers. He has four decades of experience in farming and rural organizing, and he is a project manager for the MFU Solving the Local Meat Processing Bottleneck Project.

“Paul has been a longtime leader in rural Minnesota,” said MFU President Gary Wertish. “His desire to make life better in rural Minnesota shows through in his four decades of work in rural organizing. He was a catalyst for positive change during the 1980s farm crisis and since then he has served in a number of roles, including on the University of Minnesota’s Alternative Livestock Task Force, the Minnesota Organic Advisory Task Force and the Minnesota Rural Finance Authority Board.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to be engaged with MFU in support of beginning farmer initiatives and small business development like meat processing,” Sobocinski said.

The 84th annual Minnesota Farmers Union State Convention was Nov. 21-23 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Minneapolis Northeast, Minneapolis.

About Minnesota Farmers Union

Minnesota Farmers Union works to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers and rural communities. MFU is a nonprofit membership-based organization. Membership is open to everyone. Learn more and join at www.mfu.org and follow MFU on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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Minnesota Farmers Union—Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers (www.mfu.org).