Ten Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) members attended the National Farmers Union (NFU) Convention March 10 to March 12, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona. NeFU President John Hansen,
Graham Christensen of Lyons, and Lynn Belitz of Fullerton represented the NeFU Board. Delegates representing membership were: Don Schuller, Wymore, Andrew Tonnies, North Bend, and Keith Dittrich, Tilden.
Farmers Union Midwest Agency LLP General Manager Jeff Downing of Elkhorn, Farmers Union Midwest Agency Financial Services Manager Kevin Harrington of Lincoln, Tammy Dittrich of Meadow Grove, and Julie Schuller of Wymore also attended.
NeFU President John Hansen said, “Our members heard from a great set of leaders and experts on a wide range of issues facing family farm agriculture.”
Farmers Union members also participated in six workshops including: “Food Safety in the Southwest,” “Do Right- to-Farm Laws Benefit Farmers?”, “New Opportunities for Agriculture to Lead the Way in the Low Carbon World,” “Food Safety Continued,” Managing the Stress and Stressors of Agriculture,” and “Protecting Landowner Rights.”
A highlight of the convention was Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s one hour and thirty minutes give and take presentation that included two historic market reform announcements. The first was the “Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity rule” that will go into effect May 6th that includes a wide range of livestock market reforms strongly supported by National and Nebraska Farmers Union.
Relative to the other historic NFU supported meat market reform announcement, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said, “This final rule will ensure that when consumers see ‘Product of USA’ they can trust the authenticity of that label and know that every step involved, from birth to processing, was done here in America.”
Farmers Union delegates from around the country re-elected Rob Larew President and Jeff Kippley Vice President without opposition, adopted NFU Policy, and approved six Special Orders of Business:
- Fairness for Farmers
- Family Farming and the 2024 Farm Bill
- Family Farming and the Farm Safety Net
- Family Farming and Conservation
- Family Farming and Dairy Policy Reform
- Support for the Cooperative Business Model and the International Year of Cooperatives
Full text of the adopted policy manual will be available soon at www.nfu.org.
The 2025 NFU’s 123rd Anniversary Convention will be held March 9-11, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Nebraska Farmers Union is a general farm organization with 3,212 farm and ranch family members dedicated to protecting and enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers, and their rural communities. Since 1913, Nebraska Farmers Union has helped organize over 445 cooperatives.