Access to Land: Introduction

December 8, 2016Beginning Farmers

By Tom Driscoll, NFU Director of Conservation Policy and Education National Farmer Union’s historic concern and advocacy for the vitality of family farming and rural communities demands that every person involved with the organization works to ensure beginning producers can successfully engage in farming and support their families with sustainable businesses. NFU’s policy, established by the … Read More

What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Field Borders

December 5, 2016Climate Column

By Trixie Wessel, NFU Intern In the past, the Climate Column has discussed practices such as strip-till, no-till, and cover crops to prevent erosion and improve soil health. Another important practice with similar benefits is the establishment of field borders, strips of vegetation at the perimeter of a field. Generally composed of stiff-stemmed upright grasses or … Read More

Considering CRP Grasslands Enrollment? There’s Still Time.

November 30, 2016Blog

Farmers and ranchers rely on natural resources to grow food and raise livestock, which makes programs that voluntarily incentivize conservation practices – like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – even more pertinent to rural America. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certainly recognizes the benefits of voluntary, incentive-based conservation practices. On November 30, the USDA … Read More

Why Do Farmers Care About Climate Change? Warmer Winters

November 28, 2016Climate Column

By Tom Somrack, NFU Government Relations Intern As previously noted on the Climate Column, rising temperatures resulting from climate change can have serious repercussions for both crop growers and livestock producers. In addition to the basic issues related to rising temperatures, warmer winters pose their own unique set of potential problems for producers. USDA’s Regional Vulnerability Assessments explain how a decrease in … Read More

What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Mulch Till

November 21, 2016Climate Column

By Alexis Dunnum, NFU Intern In previous blog posts, the NFU Climate Column covered both no-till and strip-till practices as climate friendly alternatives to conventional methods. Both of these alternative conservation tilling methods allow the soil to retain more water than conventional methods, giving crops the opportunity to thrive even during dry spells. Yet another of … Read More

What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Contour Farming

November 14, 2016Climate Column

By Alexis Dunnum, NFU Intern As stated in the NFU Climate Column on extreme precipitation, “Projected increases in heavy precipitation combined with milder winters is expected to increase total runoff and peak stream flow during the winter and spring, which may increase the magnitude or frequency of flooding.” With heavy rainfall likely to occur more often, … Read More

What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Strip-Till

November 7, 2016Climate Column

By Alexis Dunnum, NFU Intern As discussed in the recent Climate Column post on no-till farming, practicing alternatives to tilling can increase the amount of organic matter in the soil, allowing for water retention even during dry periods. Another tilling alternative that has the many of the same soil benefits is strip-till. Strip-till is a conservation … Read More

NFU Beginning Farmers Travel to California for On-Farm Learning Sessions

November 7, 2016Beginning Farmers, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2016 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 ajerome@nfudc.org SALINAS, Calif. (November 7, 2016) – The National Farmers Union (NFU) Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI) reconvened in Salinas, California, on Friday, November 4, for the second of three annual programming sessions. Seventeen beginning farmers and ranchers from across the country attended the two-day, hands-on learning … Read More

What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Cover Crops

October 31, 2016Climate Column

By Alexis Dunnum, NFU Intern In the previous Climate Leaders post, we discussed the soil health benefits of no-till farming, and we will soon discuss strip-till, and mulch till. Although these practices vary slightly, something they all have in common is their use of crop residue, which comes from using cover crops. According to the … Read More

What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? No-Till

October 24, 2016Climate Column

By Alexis Dunnum, NFU Intern Previous NFU Climate Column posts have explained that drought and erosion from extreme precipitation are anticipated to become more prevalent if the planet continues to heat up. When tilling is avoided, the organic matter within the soil can attract and retain water. This ensures proper hydration for the plant, even during dry … Read More