LINCOLN — Thirteen Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) members are headed to Washington, DC for the National Farmers Union Fall Fly-In September 8-11, 2019. They will join Farmers Union members from around the country as they work together to contact all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 100 U.S. Senators and visit with them about key issues facing agriculture. There are 380 Farmers Union members from around the nation registered to attend the 2019 National Farmers Union Fly-In.
Nebraskans attending include NeFU officers President John Hansen, Vice President Vern Jantzen of Plymouth, Board of Director Mary Alice Corman and husband Richard of Edgar, and District 7 President Art Tanderup and wife Helen of Neligh. Members attending include Leo Hoehn of Gering, Camdyn Kavan and Midwest Regional Agency Insurances Business Specialist Jennifer Larabee of Lincoln, Julie Hindmarsh of Fremont, Jeff Downing, Midwest Regional Agency Insurances General Manager of Elkhorn, and Midwest Regional Agency Insurances Agent Nicole Johnson and Laura Thomas of Omaha. The six women and seven men will split into teams as they meet members and staff from other states in addition to meeting with the Nebraska Congressional delegation.
“There is no substitute for farmers and ranchers sitting at the table with our elected members of Congress. We will focus on strengthening the farm income safety net, climate smart practices and expand biofuels, restoring competition to the ag economy, and improving the USMCA and other trade issues. America’s farmers and ranchers are facing the worst farm crisis since the 1980’s. Something needs to change,” said NeFU President John Hansen.
The Fly-In begins Monday morning with briefings from USDA officials, and presentations from a variety of government officials Monday afternoon. Tuesday and Wednesday teams will meet with Representatives and Senators and their staffs.
“Our Fly-In delegation is a good mix of grain and livestock producers as well as three members of our insurance team as we cover a wide range of interests and issues facing rural Nebraska,” said Hansen.
“On top of seven years of low ag commodity prices, agriculture has been hit hard by blizzards, floods, late and prevented plantings, sinking exports and retribution tariffs. The best way for our elected officials to understand the size and scope of the financial hardship farmers and ranchers face every day is to talk directly with farmers and ranchers themselves,” Hansen concluded.
Nebraska Farmers Union is a general farm organization with 3,500 farm and ranch family members dedicated to protecting and enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers, and their rural communities. Since 1913, Nebraska Farmers Union has helped organize over 445 cooperatives.
— Nebraska Farmers Union
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