Nebraska

Farmers

Union

 

 

1305 Plum Street • Lincoln, NE 68502

www.nebraskafarmersunion.org

 

Contact John Hansen   Office:  402-476-8815,

Fax:  402-476-8859, Cell:  402-580-8815

john@nebraskafarmersunion.org

 

Nebraska Farmers Union To Sponsor

Rural Cooperative Opportunities Workshop In Grand Island

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                 March 19, 2010                     

Lincoln, NE. Nebraska Farmers Union will sponsor a Rural Cooperative Opportunities Workshop in Grand Island Monday, March 22nd at the Howard Johnson Riverside Inn from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The event is open to the public. 

 

Speakers will include:

 

  • Deb Yocum, Rural Energy Coordinator for Nebraska USDA Rural Development, who will focus on the various programs and funding opportunities available for renewable energy from USDA Rural Development
  • Jim Crandall, Outreach Program Coordinator for the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center, who will explain cooperative history, structure, and benefits as well as state sources of funding.
  • Paul Kenney, President of the Board of Directors of Kaapa Ethanol will describe the history, challenges, and benefits of farmer ownership of ethanol.
  • State Senator Annette Dubas, Vice Chair of the Nebraska Legislature Agriculture Committee and Vice Chair of the Nebraska Legislature Natural Resources Committee, will describe the renewable energy based changes the Legislature has made in the past several years to help rural Nebraska better participate in renewable energy based rural economic development opportunities.
  • Joseph McDermott, Executive Director of the Nebraska State Fair Board will update participants on the status of the Nebraska State Fair’s move to Grand Island.  Weather permitting, a tour of new building projects will be held at the end of the session.
  • John Hansen, President of Nebraska Farmers Union and Co-Chair of the Nebraska Wind Working Group will detail the various ways that farmers and ranchers can help gain the benefits of wind energy ownership through Community Based Energy Development and Landowner Associations.

 

Thanks to funding from CHS Foundation, there are no registration fees for the workshop or charge for the noon lunch.  The public, especially farmers, ranchers, and individuals working in the rural economic development areas are encouraged to attend.  Nebraska Farmers Union has organized over 436 farm and rural cooperatives in Nebraska since 1913. 

 

Nebraska Farmers Union is the state’s second largest and oldest general farm organization representing over 5,300 farm and ranch families and the rural communities they live in.  The mission of Nebraska Farmers Union is to improve the economic well being and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers, and the rural communities they live in. 

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Nebraska

Farmers

Union

 

 

1305 Plum Street • Lincoln, NE 68502

www.nebraskafarmersunion.org

 

Contact John Hansen   Office:  402-476-8815,

Fax:  402-476-8859, Cell:  402-580-8815

john@nebraskafarmersunion.org

 

Rural Cooperative Opportunities Workshop

Howard Johnson Riverside Inn, Grand Island

March 22, 2010

 

9:00 am            Welcome and Introductions by John Hansen, NEFU President

 

9:15 am            Deb Yocum, Rural Energy Coordinator for Nebraska USDA Rural Development,                                 who will focus on the various programs and funding opportunities available for                                   renewable energy from USDA Rural Development.

 

10:00 am          Break

 

10:30 am          Jim Crandall, Outreach Program Coordinator for the Nebraska Cooperative                             Development Center, who will explain cooperative history, structure, and benefits                      as well as state sources of funding.

 

11:15 am          Paul Kenney, President of the Board of Directors of Kaapa Ethanol will describe                                   the history, challenges, and benefits of farmer ownership of ethanol.

 

12:00               Noon Luncheon

 

12:45               State Senator Annette Dubas, Vice Chair of the Nebraska Legislature Agriculture                                  Committee and Vice Chair of the Nebraska Legislature Natural Resources                                            Committee, will describe the renewable energy based changes the Legislature has                             made in the past several years to help rural Nebraska better participate in                                                renewable energy based rural economic development opportunities.

 

1:30                 John Hansen, President of Nebraska Farmers Union and Co-Chair of the Nebraska                  Wind Working Group will detail the various ways that farmers and ranchers can                                  help gain the benefits of wind energy ownership through Community Based                                Energy Development and Landowner Associations.

 

2:30 pm            Graham Christensen, “Capturing Rural Development Opportunities With                                                Nebraska Farmers Union”.

 

3:00 pm            Joseph McDermott, Executive Director of the Nebraska State Fair Board will                           update participants on the status of the Nebraska State Fair’s move to Grand                           Island.  Weather permitting, a tour of new building projects will be held at the end              of the session.

 

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