Agricultural News
Oklahoma Wheat Producer Helping Shape NFU Policy in Advance of 2013 National Convention
Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:59:27 CST
The National Farmers Union Policy Committee met in Washington, D.C., last week to begin revising their policy manual. The American Farmers & Ranchers are represented by Kent McAninch, who farms in the Tonkawa, Oklahoma area. AFR is a state affiliate of the NFU and continues the tradition of the Oklahoma Farmers Union as being the largest state organization involved with NFU in the country.
The picture here is of the NFU policy Committee and includes the following members: (L to R) George Davis of California, Kent McAninch of Oklahoma, Tim Velde of Minnesota, (front) Ronda Throener of North Dakota (front), Jeff Eschmeyer of Ohio (chairman, back), Daniel Truelove of Illinois, Mary Howell of Kansas and Tom Wingfield of Colorado (representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union).
According to Roger Johnson, President of the NFU, "The Policy Committee members play a vital role in carrying on the tradition of grassroots policy formation in our organization. The committee is tasked with reviewing our current policies and offering changes and addition s for the delegates to vote on at our upcoming convention. This policy is what we will advocate for during the course of the next year."
The committee heard from a number of White House, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Capitol Hill staff to ensure members have a broader working knowledge of current legislative issues as they revise NFU's organizational policy. Speakers included Doug McKalip, senior policy advisor for Rural Affairs, White House Domestic Policy Council; Jonathan Coppess, chief counsel, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and Krysta Harden, chief of staff, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"Since Congress has not yet passed a five-year farm bill, the committee and convention delegates have another opportunity to have their voices and priorities heard," said Johnson. "The policy will undoubtedly be focused heavily on that important piece of legislation and ensuring certainty for U.S. family farmers and ranchers."
The January Policy Committee meeting is the first part of a two-step process. The second part of the process will take place during NFU's annual convention in March. During the convention, any Farmers Union member may propose changes to the policy. The committee then considers those proposals and submits a final copy of the suggested policy to the elected delegates at the convention for their consideration, amendment and adoption. NFU's 111th Anniversary Convention will take place on March 2 to 5, in Springfield, Mass.
For details about the 2013 National Farmers Union, click here.
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