RMFU Members Take Part in Annual 2019 NFU Fly-In
More than 40 farmers, ranchers, and rural leaders from Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming will be on Capitol Hill September 9th through the 11th to share their stories of how hometown communities and family farm agriculture are struggling due to ongoing trade wars, low farmgate prices, and severe weather events. The Rocky Mountain Farmers Union members are joining with more than 400 others to participate in the annual National Farmers Union Fly-in to Washington, D.C.
“Working together in teams, we stop by every congressional office,” says RMFU President Dr. Dale McCall. “We’ve been doing this for decades to put a face on American agriculture and tell our stories of how federal policies are impacting our operations. We also share ‘boots on the ground’ common sense recommendations to lawmakers who may not be as understanding of the challenges facing agriculture and rural communities.”
After yet another year of depressed commodity prices, uncertainty in export and biofuels markets, rapid consolidation in the food and agriculture sectors, and extreme and unseasonal weather events, nearly 400 farmers and ranchers will meet face-to-face with lawmakers. These advocates will campaign for policies that strengthen the farm safety net, reduce chronic overproduction, help farmers and ranchers implement climate smart practices, restore competition to the agricultural economy, resolve ongoing trade disputes, and expand the market for homegrown biofuels.
NFU will kick off the Fly-In on the morning of Monday, September 9, with a briefing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), where participants will hear from Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Gregory Ibach, Under Secretary for Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs Ted McKinney as well as top officials from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and Farm Service Agency (FSA).