3. Membership Benefits
Your membership pays for itself!
• Here is what NFU members
say about the new Office
Depot discount:
“We saved so much
on school supplies…
I couldn’t believe it!”
“I saved $50
on a $75
order!”
4. Take a break! Save on Avis & Budget car rentals
and most Wyndham hotels
5. Save on…
• Your next wireless cell phone
• Lifelock identity theft protection
• Constant Contact email marketing
• Piped-in gas or electric bill
(selected states)
6. Only you can help Farmers Union to grow!
• “Nobody Asked Me!” - Invite your neighbors
• Top recruiters receive NFU Awards, from caps
and shirts to Cabela’s gift certificates
• Ask your state office for Awards referral form
7. Get involved, learn & share!
• Join us in Santa Fe for
National Convention:
March 8 – 11, 2014
• Sign up for Women’s
Conference in
Florida!
17. Major Farm Bill Conference Asks
• Keep “permanent law”
• Set fixed reference prices
• Include dairy stabilization program
• Mandatory funding for energy title
• Oppose changes to COOL
• Support farmers market and local
foods programs
18. NFU Priorities – Senate vs. House
• Smaller cuts to
nutrition (5 years)
• Dairy stabilization
• Energy title funding
• COOL & GIPSA – no
changes
• Compliance
• Title I payment limits
• Title I price
protection (PLC)
• Beginning Farmer
programs
19. Other Issues in Play
• Nutrition cuts
– $39.5 billion (HOUSE) vs. $4.5 billion (SENATE)
• Crop insurance
– Conservation compliance – SENATE
– Premium subsidy reductions based on income
•
•
•
•
Oppose efforts to undo COOL
Title I Payment & Eligibility Limits – SENATE
Beginning Farmer & Rancher Program – HOUSE
Organic Ag. Research & Extension – HOUSE
20. Other Issues in Play
• Oppose weakening GIPSA
• Specialty Crop Research
Initiative – HOUSE
• Rural Energy for America
Program
– Blender pumps – SENATE
– Feasibility studies – HOUSE
• Reauthorize Specialty Crop
Block Grants – HOUSE
• FIFRA vs. CWA
21. What Should a Farm Safety Net Do?
Help in times of disaster
- Crop insurance
- Disaster programs (especially livestock)
Protect against long-term
price declines
- Target (or reference) prices
22. Country-of-Origin Labeling
• New rules took effect November 23
– Response to WTO’s decision that the COOL law
was okay, but implementation needed to change
– Packers, processors, Canadians & Mexicans filed
suit against USDA
– NFU has intervened on
USDA’s side
– Don’t change the law!
Make a contribution online at:
www.uscooldefensefund.org
23. Country-of-Origin Labeling
• Backlash from Canada
– Threatens trade retaliation, claims $1 billion loss
– WTO prevents unilateral action
– Canadians now lobbying in Washington
• Packers are the real culprit
– Tyson stopped buying Canadian cattle
– Real costs of COOL: 1/3rd of a penny per pound
25. Food Safety Modernization Act
•
FSMA is a well-intentioned reform effort
•
No major changes to food safety laws since 1940s
•
Prevention rather than reaction
•
NFU commented on two
rules: Produce Rule &
Preventive Controls Rule
•
A second comment period
is needed
26. 2014
International Year
of Family Farming
• United Nations - worldwide
• NFU will be the U.S. leader
• Monthly themed events
United to Grow
Family Agriculture
27. 2014
International Year
of Family Farming
January: International Year of Family Farming
February: Consumers
March: The Marketplace
April: Renewable Energy
May: Rural Life
June: Developing Leaders
28. 2014
International Year
of Family Farming
July: The Future of Agriculture
August: Local Economies
September: Farm Safety
October: Communities & Cooperatives
November: Ending World Hunger
December: Global Marketplace
To get the NFU discount code you can go to nfu.org and click Benefits…choose from the list for all the enrollment info. There are a few flyers available here today.Wyndham includes
Click on
Most nonmembers say they didn’t join because “Nobody Asked Them”Tell your story and invite a friend to joinMore important than any of these benefits, Farmers Union is where their voice is heard FOR QUESTIONSAsk your state office for details and get the form—you earn about a half point to re-enroll a former member and a full point for new member
Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow of MichiganSen. Patrick Leahy of VermontSen. Tom Harkin of IowaSen. Max Baucus of MontanaSen. Sherrod Brown of OhioSen. Amy Klobuchar of MinnesotaSen. Michael Bennet of ColoradoSen. Thad Cochran of MississippiSen. Saxby Chambliss of GeorgiaSen. Pat Roberts of KansasSen. John Boozman (Boz-man) of ArkansasSen. John Hoeven of North Dakota
From the House Agriculture Committee:REPUBLICANSChairman Frank Lucas (Okla.) Steve King (Iowa)Randy Neugebauer (Texas)Mike Rogers (Ala.)Michael Conaway (Texas)Glenn Thompson (Pa.)Austin Scott (Ga.)Rick Crawford (Ark.)Martha Roby (Ala.)Kristi Noem (S.D.)Jeff Denham (Calif.)Rodney Davis (Ill.) DEMOCRATSRanking Member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) Mike McIntyre (N.C.)Jim Costa (Calif.)Tim Walz (Minn.)Kurt Schrader (Ore.)Jim McGovern (Mass.)Suzan DelBene (Wash.)Gloria Negrete McLeod(Calif.)Filemon Vela (Texas)
From the Ways & Means Committee: REPUBLICANSChairman Dave Camp (Mich.) Sam Johnson (Texas) DEMOCRATSandy Levin (Mich.) From the House Foreign Affairs Committee:REPUBLICANS Chairman Ed Royce (Calif.) Tom Marino (Pa.) DEMOCRATEliot Engel (N.Y.)From Leadership:REPUBLICANSteve Southerland (Fla.) DEMOCRATMarcia Fudge (Ohio)
