Policy Articles
FAFSA Change Impacts Farmers and Small Businesses
Published January 5, 2024
An attempt to simplify the government’s student aid process could make college more costly for farm families. Thanks to an omnibus bill that passed this past year included the change in the FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid.…No Timeline for Interest Rate Cuts
Published January 4, 2024
The minutes from the mid-December Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting have been released. They indicate some Fed officials were worried about leaving interest rates elevated for too long. Others said the situation may warrant keeping the target rate at…Missouri Takes Action on Foreign Farmland Ownership
Published January 3, 2024
Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed an executive order banning China and other foreign adversaries from owning farmland within ten miles of a military facility. This issue began when China’s FuFeng Group announced plans to build a corn processing plant in…EATS Bill Will Be Reintroduced
Published January 3, 2024
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is reintroducing the Ending Agriculture Trade Suppression or EATS Act. This proposal would undo California’s Proposition 12 legislation that limits the confinement of breeding pigs, veal calves, and egg-laying hens. Grassley said the California law will…Federal Order Reform Hearing to Resume
Published January 3, 2024
USDA will reconvene its public hearing to consider changes to the federal milk marketing orders on January 16. This hearing process began in late August near Indianapolis. Significant changes have not been made to the federal orders in more than…The Impact of Prop 12 and Question 3
Published January 1, 2024
Enforcement is now underway for California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3. Pork sold in California will have to come from farms that are audited and certified as Prop 12-compliant. The Massachusetts rule is similar, but it also includes pork…U.S. Responds to Container Ship Attack
Published December 31, 2023
Houthi rebels fired on a container ship and attempted to board the vessel over the weekend in the Red Sea. U.S. Central Command said this is the 23rd attack of this kind in the past six weeks. The U.S. responded…MFU Minute
Published December 30, 2023
In this week's MFU Minute, Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish outlines the organization's policy priorities for the coming year.State of Emergency
Published December 29, 2023
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has declared a statewide emergency due to the December 25-27 ice storm. Over 20,000 North Dakotans were without electricity. The Governor’s Office reports over 1,400 utility poles were downed in the storm and power lines…