2009 Nebraska Farmers Union Accomplishments

Making A Difference For You In Lincoln & Across Nebraska

ü In the 2009-2010 Legislative Session, NEFU leaders testified on 28 Bills at their Legislative Hearings, supported 35, and opposed 8. NEFU brings the policy set by members to Lincoln. Win or Lose, we always try our best.

ü Nebraska Farmers Union held meetings to assist in the establishment of Landowner Wind Farm Associations all across Nebraska. LWA’s give rural people a solid structure, bargaining power, and more control of the wind development process in their communities.

ü NEFU President John Hansen testified against a Nebraska Department of Natural Resources plan to cap irrigation development in the Lower Platte River Basin at a hearing in Fremont.

ü NEFU President John Hansen attended the USDA sponsored NAIS Listening Session in LaVista.

ü NEFU President participated in a FSA briefing of the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), which is a new disaster program created under the 2008 Farm Bill.

ü National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson talked to NEFU members in Lawrence & St Paul about climate change, health care reform, & other ag related issues. Johnson and Hansen met with the editorial boards of the Omaha World-Herald, Lincoln Journal-Star, & Grand Island Independent to address issues facing family farm agriculture.

ü 5 NEFU members drove to Gering to see Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar & Secretary of Ag Tom Vilsack speak at the Obama Administration’s Rural Tour. NEFU President John Hansen handed Secretary Vilsack a petition of signatures collected to once again manufacture Class IV Combines to meet the demands of smaller farmers. After the event the group joined District 1 members along with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union for a luncheon meeting.

ü NEFU President John Hansen attended the National Renewable Energy Laboratory informational meeting in Omaha.

ü NEFU joined a coalition of several organizations backing solid health care reform. Farmers and ranchers are hit harder than anyone when they can’t afford to get good health insurance or are dropped due to pre-existing conditions.

ü Nebraska Wind Working Group: Three NEFU members serve as Co-Chairs of the NWWG: NEFU President John Hansen, NEFU District 5 Director Dan McGuire, and NEFU member Sen. Cap Dierks.

ü Wind Energy Transmission: NEFU President Hansen served on the $1 million NE Power Association & National Renewable Energy Lab Wind Integration Task Force.

ü NEFU continued its 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, & mandatory country-of-origin-labeling (COOL).

ü NEFU President John Hansen, Chairman of the NFU Legislative Committee, spent time in Washington DC & on conference calls to make sure the policy for family farmers & ranchers continued to be implemented & upheld.

ü Trichomoniasis Advisory Committee—NEFU President John Hansen serves on this state committee.

ü NE Rural Response Hotline: NEFU President John Hansen & Secretary Vern Jantzen served on the Board of Directors for this joint effort with Interchurch Ministries to serve farm & ranch families in their time of crisis. Call 800-464-0258

Taking Your Message To Washington, DC, Iowa, Kansas, and Minnesota

ü NEFU took 17 students and professors from Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Southeast Community College in Beatrice, & Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis to “The College Conference on Cooperatives” in Minneapolis, Minnesota in collaboration with the National Farmers Union & Cenex Harvest States Foundations.

ü NEFU Pres. John Hansen & State Secretary Vern Jantzen represented NFU at a Dairy Price Rally in Manchester, Iowa.

ü Five NEFU members, officers, & agents traveled to Washington DC for the Fall Fly-In to express their concerns. Health Care Reform and Climate Change Legislation were the primary topics.

ü NEFU President John Hansen gave a presentation to the Kansas Farmers Union updating them on Wind Energy Development in Nebraska at the Kansas State Convention.

ü NEFU President John Hansen served 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.

Wind Energy, Climate Change & Carbon Offset, & Renewable Energy Education

ü NEFU once again led the way in renewable energy education by teaming up with other Nebraska organizations to hold over 110 statewide educational programs including informational meetings, presentations, workshops, conferences, and college classroom presentations on Climate Change, Carbon Sequestration, & Wind Energy Development in Nebraska.

ü Since October of 2006, more than 1.12 million acres with over 400 farmers and ranchers have signed up in the Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program in Nebraska, more than any other state in the country!

ü NEFU & the American Corn Growers Foundation worked together to develop the $80 million 42 MW Crofton Hills Wind Farm, scheduled for 2010 construction that will give ownership to local landowners & Nebraska farmers using the Minnesota Flip financing structure under the C-BED law that will provide real rural economic development!

ü NEFU gave Climate Change & Carbon Credit presentations sponsored by UNL Extension in Blair, Ithaca & Red Cloud, NRCS No-Till Field Day south of Grant & Beatrice event, RC&D meetings in David City & Bassett, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, WIFE, Southeast Community College, NE Chapter of American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers, Lincoln Green By Design, UNL Progressive Student Coalition, Farmers Union Insurance, Nebraska Game & Parks, Randolph Women’s Club, & Union Bank & Trust.

ü Nebraska Wind Working Group & NEFU booths at Conventions, Conferences, & Trade Shows including: Southeast Community College Ag Expo in Beatrice, Kansas Farmers Union Convention, NE Dry Bean Growers Day in Mitchell, Southeast NE Farm Show in Saline County, Governor’s Ag Conference in Kearney, Butler County Fair in David City, Economic Development Summit in West Point, NE State Fair in Lincoln, Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Wind Power 2009 in Kearney, & the Nebraska Farmers Union State Convention in Grand Island.

Working with Our Organizational Partners - Over 110 Outreach Meetings in 2009!!!

American Corn Growers Association of NE Nebraska Game & Parks

American Corn Growers Foundation Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD)

Broken Bow Area Landowners Nebraska Sierra Club

Burt County Board of Supervisors Nebraska Sustainable Ag Society (NSAS)

Burt County Farmers Nebraska Wind Working Group (NWWG)

Butler County Farmers Union No-Till On The Plains

Cedar County Farmers Union Northeast Community College

Center For Rural Affairs O'Neill Area Farmers & Ranchers

Change That Works Petersburg Area Farmers

Cheyenne County Landowners Platte County Farmers Union

Dry Bean Growers Association Quail Forever

Farmers Union Insurances Randolph Women's Club

Future Farmers of America (FFA) Resource, Conservation, & Dev (RC&Ds)

Husker Broadcasting Network Richardson County Farmers

Independent Cattlement of Nebraska (ICON) Saline Co Wind Association

League of Conservation Voters Southeast Community College

Lincoln Green By Design Southern Kimball Co Wind Farm Association

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) State Bar Association

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) University of Nebraska - Lincoln

NE Ch of Am Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers UNL Extension Agencies

NE College of Technical Ag in Curtis UNL Progressive Student Coalition

Nebraska Department of Ag Winnebago Tribal Council

Nebraska Ethanol Board Women Involved In Farm Economics (WIFE)