At National Farmers Union’s (NFU) 117th Anniversary Convention in March, delegates approved a special order of business calling on Congress to “stabilize the current agricultural workforce” through a “flexible, efficient, and compassionate agricultural worker visa program.” Because the proposed bill would achieve both goals, NFU Vice President of Public Policy and Communications Rob Larew applauded its introduction and urged Congress to approve it.

“Many family farmers and ranchers rely on hired farmworkers to help with planting, harvest, milking cows, and other essential tasks.  But across the country, it has become exceedingly difficult to find legal, qualified workers. Without a workforce, farmers aren’t able to complete day-to-day work, forcing some to simply leave unharvested crops to rot in the field. This threatens both the viability of American farms as well as consumers’ access to affordable, domestically produced food.

“But we don’t just need a legal and adequate workforce – we need one that is fair. A large number of farmworkers are immigrants, a population that has historically been underserved and overlooked. These hardworking individuals who help us put food on our tables deserve greater protections and a pathway to citizenship.

“National Farmers Union supports this bipartisan effort to address the needs of both farmers and workers, and we urge its swift passage in the House of Representatives.”

Source: National Farmers Union

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National Farmers Union (NFU) supports efforts to address China’s unfair and manipulative trade practices and has repeatedly urged the administration to provide necessary assistance to farmers caught in the crosshairs. NFU President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to the agency’s announcement:

“Family farmers and ranchers have been grappling with low commodity prices and excess production for many years now, and the trade war with China and other major trading partners has compounded both problems. We appreciate USDA’s work to mitigate family farmers’ losses as a result of these trade disputes. However, while this trade aid package is an improvement over last year’s Market Facilitation Program, by definition it fails to provide predictable, consistent and adequate relief across American agriculture.

“We are pleased that USDA will be providing payments for a broader range of commodities than were covered under last year’s program. We also appreciate that producers of all covered commodities will receive equitable support. At the same time, basing payments on 2019 planted acres fails to help those who have faced or are facing impossible planting conditions.

“Ultimately, this package is only a short-term fix for a very long-term problem. Farmers rely on markets to make a living. Our ongoing trade wars have destroyed our reputation as a reliable supplier and have left family farmers with swelling grain stores and empty pockets. The very least we can do is provide our country’s struggling food producers with the certainty of a longer-term plan that also addresses the persistent and pernicious problem of oversupply.”

Source: National Farmers Union

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In written testimony, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson thanked the committee for addressing the deleterious effects of climate change on the agricultural industry and emphasized the need for federal policies that assist farmers with the implementation of practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon, and build resilience to extreme weather events.

“Climate change is not a future or hypothetical issue for family farmers and ranchers – they are already suffering its effects every day. Higher average temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and more frequent and severe natural disasters have added several more layers of uncertainty to the already difficult job of food production. As the climate continues to change, we can only expect the challenges to multiply. This serious and immediate problem requires serious and immediate action – and we are glad that the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is taking the first steps by holding this hearing.

“Though the agricultural sector is among the most directly impacted by climate change, it is also among the most capable of mitigating and adapting to its effects. Farmers and ranchers are not only able to cut greenhouse gas emissions on their operations, but they can also offset greenhouse gas emissions from other sectors by sequestering carbon in the soil, growing biofuels, and engaging in on-farm energy production. Many of the USDA’s existing conservation programs support these important efforts with financial and technical assistance. We encourage Congress to continue providing farmers with the tools they need by expanding and enhancing these programs. Additionally, we recommend robust investments in public agricultural research as well as the creation of market-based incentives for climate-smart practices.

“Farmers Union members understand the urgent threat that climate change poses to agriculture, and they want to do everything they can to lessen the damage. But this work isn’t free or easy – it often requires significant time, money, and expertise. We look forward to working with you to identify policies and solutions that help family farmers and ranchers achieve their sustainability goals.”

NFU members, numbering 200,000 family farmers and ranchers and rural residents, have long been concerned with the current and future consequences of climate change on agricultural livelihoods and global food security. At the organization’s 117^thannual convention in March, Farmers Union delegates passed a special order of businesscalling for “immediate and decisive action” to help farmers mitigate and adapt to this crisis.

Source: National Farmers Union

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The family farm organization submitted comments today to EPA on the agency’s proposed rule to allow year-round use of E15 gasoline. While the rule stands to deliver a long-sought win for the biofuels industry and family farmers, NFU President Roger Johnson said a stronger commitment to further expanding biofuel use is needed from EPA.

“The long and short of it is that the EPA under this administration has repeatedly destroyed direct demand for biofuels, metaphorically piling more and more corn on top of our burdensome oversupply,” said Johnson. “What we need from EPA as they finalize the E15 waiver is a major step in the direction of allowing year-round sales of higher level blends of ethanol in gasoline. That’s the way we cut into oversupply. That’s the way we better our environmental impact. And that’s the way we save consumers more money at the pump.”

In its comments, National Farmers Union urged EPA to expeditiously approve E15 for year-round use and to ensure the rule does not amount to a cap on higher level blends of ethanol, like E30.

“Farmers Union is eager for EPA to follow through on its promises to get an E15 waiver out of the door by June 1,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “But we are concerned that certain provisions within EPA’s rulemaking unnecessarily work against expanded use of higher level blends of ethanol.”

Provisions within EPA’s E15 proposed rule are limited in scope to E15 gasoline only, without taking advantage of the benefits of mid-level blends of ethanol and making the prospects of using these blends harder to achieve.

NFU also proposed EPA separate its proposed RIN reforms from the E15 rule until the agency has considered the potential implications of the reforms and made such findings public. The organization highlighted RIN-market volatility introduced by EPA’s actions regarding small refinery exemptions. “Under the Trump Administration, EPA’s exemption handouts to oil refiners have destroyed demand for at least 2.6 billion gallons of ethanol, or nearly one billion bushels of American grown corn,” said Johnson.

“It is EPA’s responsibility to follow through on the President’s promises to family farmers and on Congress’s intent to expand biofuel use in our transportation sector,” said Johnson. “We’re calling on the agency to begin to right their wrongs by finalizing an E15 waiver that includes a pathway for expanded use of higher level blends of ethanol.”

Source: National Farmers Union

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NFU President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response to the President’s remarks:

“Without regard for the American family farmer, rural resident or consumer, President Trump is yet again risking essential trade markets and our country’s once-pristine trading reputation. Shutting down the U.S.-Mexico border would be disastrous for trade with our top agricultural trading partner, and the effects would be consistent with the numerous other trade disruptions the President has self-inflicted on our country: lost markets and lower prices for products grown and raised by family farmers and ranchers.

For two years, President Trump has dug American agriculture into a deep hole. We’ve lost markets that took decades to build, and worse yet, we’ve lost our reputation as a reliable trading partner. Threats to close our border worsen this reputation, digging our hole deeper and depressing farm prices for years to come.

“Many American farm families are already in dire financial strain because of a drastic decline in farm prices over the past five years. Unfortunately, the President’s tactless, flailing approach to trade has exacerbated the situation. In order to begin to fill the hole he has singlehandedly dug, he must work to repair relationships, not make them worse.”

Source: National Farmers Union (NFU)

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FRSAN provides grants for extension services, state departments of agriculture, nonprofit organizations and other entities to provide stress assistance programs to farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and other agriculture-related occupations. Eligible programs include farm helplines and websites, training programs and workshops, outreach services, and home delivery of assistance.

“As you know, farming is a high-stress occupation,” said the groups in a letter to leadership of the Senate and House agriculture appropriations subcommittees. “Financial risk, volatile markets, unpredictable weather, and heavy workloads can all place a significant strain on farmers’, ranchers’ and farmworkers’ mental and emotional well-being. This is exacerbated by the fact that 60 percent of rural residents live in areas that suffer from mental health professional shortages.”

The groups noted the current prolonged farm economy downturn is causing even greater stress for farmers and ranchers. “Net farm income in 2018 was nearly 50 percent less than it was in 2013,” they said. “While current projections suggest slight improvements in 2019, a significant rebound could be years away.”

Congress provided $2 million in the fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill for a pilot of the program. The groups hope the pilot program will create an on-ramp to full program implementation.

“As the Subcommittee develops the FY 2020 agriculture appropriations bill, we urge you to fully fund the FRSAN at $10 million,” said the groups. “This funding will be critically important in meeting the needs of farmers and ranchers as they endure increasing financial and mental stress.”

Source: NFU news

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National Farmers Union (NFU)

The letter, signed by a cross-section of the Coalition’s 60 Participants and Observers, is intended to reinforce the role of carbon capture technologies in any federal policy discussions about climate, energy, infrastructure or job creation. The group expressed support for legislation including the USE IT Act that would build on the FUTURE Act to advance the use of carbon capture technologies nationwide.

“Carbon capture presents family farmers and rural communities tremendous opportunity to both better the environment and enhance quality of life in rural America,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “These technologies create jobs, produce domestic energy, benefit the U.S. ethanol industry, and reduce carbon emissions that exacerbate climate change. So as Congress looks to reduce our nation’s carbon emissions, we proudly join the Carbon Capture Coalition in urging congressional leadership to advance federal policies that accelerate deployment of carbon capture, utilization and storage.”

Source: National Farmers Union (NFU)

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