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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
For Immediate Release Washington, D.C.
Contact: Emily Eisenberg John Hansen
202-314-3104 402-476-8815
Farmers Union
Sponsors Farm Bill Listening Session At State Fair
LINCOLN—Nebraska and National Farmers Union are co-sponsoring a Farm Bill listening session to hear what rural Nebraskans want in the next Farm Bill. The session will be Wednesday, August 30th at the Nebraska State Fair in Agriculture Hall from 3:00 to 5:00 P.M. The listening session is open to the public, including the opportunity to present testimony.
The first 100 people in attendance at the listening session will also be treated to a free meal on Farmers Union at Skeeter Barnes, which is located in the south end of Agricultural Hall. “Skeeter Barnes is a Nebraska based restaurant that features high quality Nebraska food products, so this is a great way to strengthen the links between food growers, food retailers and food consumers,” said John K. Hansen, Nebraska Farmers Union state president.
“Nebraska is the fourth largest agricultural producing state in the nation, agriculture is the largest single industry in Nebraska, and our state has a enormous stake in how our next Farm Bill is designed,” said John K. Hansen, President of Nebraska Farmers Union, who will serve as the listening session moderator.
“Tom Buis, our new National Farmers Union President and economist Ron DeYong will be with us in Lincoln,” Hansen said. “Tom Buis will be here to listen, but also to answer questions that may come up. Ron DeYong will give us a quick economic background on the current Farm Bill and some of the policy options under consideration. We encourage rural residents to tell us what programs of features of the current Farm Bill are working, are not working, and to also offer their ideas for improvements. Written and oral testimony will be welcomed. The testimony can be general, or by specific Farm Bill Title. Everyone is welcome,” Hansen said.
National Farmers Union is facilitating 13 listening sessions, taking place nationwide through August and September. Farmers Union believes that the answers to difficult questions of farm policy lie with those who live and work in rural America. The listening sessions will be recorded so it can be brought to Congress during its upcoming legislative Fly-In, September 10 to 13th. The listening sessions will also be used to give Farmers Union direction and ideas in the development of its own Farm Bill proposal.
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www.nfu.org www.nebraskafarmersunion.org