In 2007, Nebraska Farmers Union…

Ø      Continued its leadership in renewable energy development and expanded farmer and community-owned wind, ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and biodiesel in Nebraska, and in advocacy for more farmer owned renewable energy opportunities in the 2007 Farm Bill. 

Ø      Sponsored the Carbon Credit Program.  Since October of 2006 NEFU has signed up signed up over 345,000 acres in Nebraska, 179,000 acres of no-till and seeded grasses and 166,000 acres of rangeland.  This new, innovative market based program provides additional farm income for farmers and ranchers using good soil conservation practices.

Ø      NEFU continued it national leadership for agricultural market reforms, including a ban on packer feeding, mandatory price reporting, captive supply reforms, enforcement of anti-trust laws, contract producers reforms, and mandatory country-of-origin-labeling (COOL).

Ø      Lead the battle to defend I-300 in Court, after the frustrating loss, continues to develop a legislative replacement for I-300.  In 1982, NEFU led the effort to put I-300 on the ballot through the citizen initiative process that won 56% voter approval. 

Taking Your Message To Washington…

Ø      NEFU President John Hansen, elected as Chairman of the NFU Legislative Committee in March spent over one month in Washington, D.C. working on the Farm Bill on your behalf. 

Ø      NFU Fly-In—Wash. D.C. March 26-28, 2007—& NFU Dairy Summit.  NEFU leaders participated.

Ø      Attended the International Federation of Agricultural Producers & NFU sponsored symposium on international trade policies and problems.

Ø      NEFU President John Hansen testified on behalf of National Farmers Union before the Senate Agriculture Committee on conservation programs and issues.  May 1, 2007.

Ø      NEFU President John Hansen was in Washington, DC for the House Ag Committee markup and passage of the 2007 Farm Bill, July 2007.

Ø      NFU Fly-In—Wash. D.C. September 17-19, 2007—Six NEFU members and officers brought message for strong income safety net, permanent emergency disaster assistance, mandatory COOL, ban on packer feeding, and Fair, not Free Trade policy.

Ø      NEFU President John Hansen serves as a national trade advisor on the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee for Grains, Feeds, and Oilseeds.  Since 1994, he has championed the interests of family farmer and ranchers for Fair, not Free Trade policies.

Ø      NEFU President John Hansen was in Washington, DC for the Senate Ag Committee markup and passage of the 2007 Farm Bill, October 2007.

2007: A Very Successful Year In The Nebraska Legislature…

Ø      LB 629—Sen. Dierks’ Landmark Bill brought the successful Minnesota C-BED (Community-Based Energy Development) model to Nebraska passing Final Reading 49-0! 

Ø      LB 343-Sen. Langemeier—Created an investment tax credit for biodiesel facilities.

Ø      LB677—Sen. Dubas—Partnered with the NE Cattlemen to provide additional time for cow calf operators to comply with livestock waste regulations because of changing federal guidelines.  

Ø      Led the successful effort to stop Sen. Raikes’ LB 658, which would have provided a roadblock instead of a roadmap to bring back Class I Schools.  In 2006, 56% of NE voters supported Initiative 422 to repeal LB126, which replaced traditional local decision making with top down state mandated forced local school consolidation.  NEFU respects the will of the voters!

NEFU Sponsored Educational Conferences, Workshops, & Outreach…

Ø      Nebraska State AFL-CIO.  February 6, 2007, NEFU President John Hansen made a power point presentation about the benefits and opportunities of C-BED (Community-Owned Energy Development) and renewable energy legislation in the Legislature.

Ø      College Conference on Cooperatives in Minneapolis, MN.  February 15-18, 2007.  NEFU co-sponsored students from Northeast Community College in Norfolk and The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis.   

Ø      University of Nebraska Economics class in Lincoln on renewable energy, carbon sequestration, and wind energy.  February 14, 2007 NEFU President John Hansen made presentation to class.

Ø      Sponsored Women Sustaining the Land: Women’s Leadership Retreat on April 1-2, 2007.

Ø      Wind Power 2007 Conference in Los Angeles, CA June 3-6, 2007.  NEFU President John Hansen represented the Nebraska Department of Energy.

Ø      Community-Owned Wind Trip to Dan Juhl’s wind farm in Woodstock, MN.  June 8, 2007, NEFU took interested farmers to Dan Juhl wind farm.  Dan Juhl is the premier Community Wind Developer in the nation. 

Ø      Renewable Energy Educational Seminar in Pilger, NE.  July 17, 2007 NEFU Public Affairs Director Graham Christensen made presentation on NE wind energy and sponsored lunch for program participants.  Tours of a wind turbine and a methane digester on area farms followed. 

Ø      Loup Basin RC&D in Ord, NE on July 23, 2007.  NEFU Public Affairs Director Graham Christensen presented information on Carbon Sequestration and Wind Energy.  

Ø      Nebraska Farmers Union Youth Camp in Halsey at the State 4H Camp for 60 campers ages 8-16, August 5-8, 2007.  “Eat Fresh, Buy Local” was the camp theme.

Ø      4th Annual Northwest Nebraska No-Till Field Day at Mark Watson Farms outside of Alliance, NE, August 7, 2007.  NEFU Public Affairs Director Graham Christensen presented information on carbon credits. 

Ø      Southeast Community College in Beatrice on cooperatives, carbon sequestration, wind energy, and renewable energy.  August 21, 2007, NEFU Public Affairs Director Graham Christensen made presentation to class and answered questions. 

Ø      Nebraska State Fair.  August 25-September 3, 2007, NEFU staffed booth to educate farmers and ranchers on the economic benefits and opportunities of farmer and community owned wind energy, carbon credits, ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, federal energy legislation, the Farm Bill, and much more.

Ø      Husker Harvest Days.  September 11-13, 2007, NEFU staffed booth on the economic benefits and opportunities of farmer and community owned wind energy, carbon credits, ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, federal energy legislation, and the Farm Bill.  

Ø      Governor’s Ag Advisory Committee.  September 14, 2007, NEFU Vice-President Roy Stoltenberg represented our organization’s view of the issues facing agriculture.

Ø      Kansas Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Conference in Topeka, KS.  September 25-26, 2007 NEFU President John Hansen made a power point presentation to a conference of 450 participants on the rural economic benefits of locally owned renewable energy.

Ø      Nebraska Tractor Test Lab Track Dedication Ceremony.  October 11, 2007, NEFU is the primary supporter of the NE Tractor Test Lab, and the need for farmers and ranchers to have independent, impartial third party information on which to base buying decisions.

Ø      Faithful Citizenship Conference in Omaha.  November 10, 2007 NEFU President John Hansen presented a workshop on renewable energy.

Ø      No-Till on the Plains Conference in Gering.  November 14-15, 2007.  Had booth and made presentation on how to participate in carbon credit program.