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Nebraska Farmers Union |
1305
Plum Street • Lincoln, NE 68502 Contact
John Hansen Office: 402-476-8815, Fax: 402-476-8859, Cell: 402-580-8815 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2005 Contact: Emily Eisenberg, 202-314-3104
John K. Hansen, 402-580-8815
Farmers
Union To Tell Policymakers of Challenges Facing Rural America
WASHINGTON (Sept. 9, 2005) – More than 200 National Farmers Union family farmers and ranchers will travel to Washington, D.C. next week, to tell Congress and the administration about the numerous challenges facing rural America, including 10 participants from Nebraska.
NFU’s fly-in comes at a crucial time. The farm economy has struggled all year, but it has deteriorated rapidly in the last 30 days.
“Farmers and ranchers are getting squeezed from all directions. Grain prices have collapsed to price levels of over 50 years ago, production costs have skyrocketed due to record high energy prices, and weather related disaster losses which have impacted over half of the counties in the United States,” National Farmers Union President Dave Frederickson said. “Combined, these three factors will squeeze thousands of family farmers out of business this year. That is why it is so critical that Congress respond in a timely and positive fashion.”
In addition, earlier this year Congress and the President agreed to cut agriculture programs by more than $3 billion.
“Now is not the time to slash ag programs that benefit those that supply the nation’s food,” Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen said. “We will be asking Congress to abandon its proposed $3 billion in ag cuts and instead work with us to develop workable emergency disaster assistance programs and common-sense solutions to our energy crisis.”
National Farmers Union legislative fly-in participants will emphasize the following to Congress and the White House:
· No cuts to agricultural programs during this time of economic crisis.
· Promptly pass emergency disaster assistance for both production and quality crop losses due to adverse weather conditions.
· Provide emergency assistance to help offset the skyrocketing energy prices has on production agriculture, who cannot pass their additional operating costs on.
· Implement mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL).
· Extent the safety net for dairy producers.
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www.nfu.org www.nebraskafarmersunion.org