Policy Articles
MFU Minute
Published July 3, 2022
In this week’s Minnesota Farmers Union Minute, President Gary Wertish recaps a meeting with Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack about the upcoming farm bill.Flexibility is Key for More Permanent Disaster Aid
Published July 3, 2022
Under Secretary of Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie is thinking about ad hoc disaster relief big picture ahead of the upcoming farm bill. "That will be an important conversation. We're walking into extreme weather swings we haven't seen before…Crop Insurance Remains a Priority
Published July 3, 2022
The House Agriculture Committee is in the process of reviewing the current farm programs and preparing for the 2023 farm bill debate. Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach continues to hear from farmers about the importance of crop insurance. "We've got issues with…Trying to Fix Emergency Relief Program Hiccups
Published June 29, 2022
The USDA knows there were a few hiccups in the implementation of the Emergency Relief Program. "The AGI-related issues, we're looking to the flexibility in the regulations for that," said Zach Ducheneaux, Administrator, Farm Service Agency. "Some of the tax…Cattle Groups Differ on Court Decision
Published June 29, 2022
R-CALF USA has issued a statement following the Supreme Court’s denial of its lawsuit challenging the mandatory beef checkoff. R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard said the organization is disappointed, but grateful for the reforms made to the program. Meanwhile, National Cattlemen’s…Food Insecurity Gets G-7 Response
Published June 28, 2022
The Group of Seven nations plan to contribute $4.5 billion to address global food security. More than half of that total will come from the United States. The G-7 leaders met in Austria to discuss the Russian-Ukraine war and the…Reform Sought for Conservation Programs
Published June 27, 2022
Former USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach believes federal conservation programs should be reformed for climate considerations. At this point, conservation programs, like carbon sequestration programs, aren’t taking into account previous farming practices. "Farmers that are first adopters have already started to do…ND Farmers Union Host Farm Bill Listening Sessions
Published June 27, 2022
The North Dakota Farmers Union is hosting a series of farm bill listening sessions. NDFU President Mark Watne says farmers are concerned about the dollars available for the baseline for the next farm bill. "They hope to have the baseline…Biofuels Continue to Use A lot of Soybean Oil
Published June 27, 2022
Biofuels may become the largest use of soybean oil in the next few years, beating out the food and feed segment and exports. That’s according to an analysis from Agricultural Economics Insight economist David Widmar. In 2014 and 2015, biofuels…