May 9, 2008  |  5:57 PM   |  call us at 651-639-1223

Farmers Union members travel to Washington, D.C. every fall to meet with members of Congress regarding federal farm policies.  For more information about these events, contact Minnesota Farmers Union at mfu@mfu.org

Advocacy  
MFU's legislative activity, in collaboration with National Farmers Union's government relations office, serves as the members' direct link to Congress, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other key agencies of the administration.

Minnesota Cooks!

 

The Minnesota Cooks program is an annual event held at the State Fair.  The program brings together local farmers with some of Minnesota ’s premier chefs as they demonstrate how they use farm fresh, Minnesota grown ingredients to create award-winning fare for their restaurants.

The Minnesota Cooks program consists of seven 45-minute shows with outstanding chefs from throughout Minnesota demonstrating their talents and interacting with various emcees who interview the Minnesota farmers who produced the food, as well as local celebrity tasters.

“Buying local and making the connection between where your food comes and what you put on the table is becoming more important to people these days,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President.  “Minnesota Cooks is the perfect way to celebrate the great food produced in Minnesota.”

For more information on the Minnesota Cooks program, including the chefs and farmers who participated in the past, as well as some recipes, please visit the website at www.minnesotacooks.com.

Ag Opportunities On The Air  

Farmers Union believes diversification in agriculture is important. For stories about how Minnesota farmers are diversifying their farming operations, click here for transcripts of these stories.

To listen to audio files of these stories, please click here.

The Latest
MFU & State News  

Information on bovine TB in Minnesota

For bovine tuberculosis information, go to: www.mntbfree.com, or call 1-877-MN TB FREE (877-668-2373).

For information for producers, including information on requirements for various states, please visit: http://www.bah.state.mn.us/tb/producers.html

 

Want to know how much of your grocery dollar goes to the farmer?  Please click below.

http://nfu.org/issues/agriculture-programs/resources/farmers-share

 

Minnesota Farmers Union offers summer leadership camps

ST. PAUL (May 5, 2008) Minnesota Farmers Union offers a summer leadership camp for kids from 3rd to 12th grade.  These camps help young people become good citizens by planting the seeds of responsibility, leadership and cooperation in an environment where those qualities can grow and flourish.

 

“Farmers Union camp is a great opportunity for kids to get together and be just that - kids,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President.  “Plus they get to do so in a comfortable setting, for an affordable rate, while learning leadership skills in the process.”

 

Camp schedule:

 

Grades 3-5:

            Southern Elementary            Sibley State Park in New London            June 16-20

            Northern Elementary            Lake Sarah Park in Erskine                     June 23-27

Grades 6-8:

            Northern Junior High            Lake Sarah Park in Erskine                     July 7-11

            Southern Junior High            Sibley State Park in New London            July 21-25

Grades 9-12:

            Statewide Senior High             Sibley State Park in New London         July 27-August 1

 

During camp, the children perform simple activities which provide a common foundation for all campers to share the responsibility of making camp a fun, safe place to be.  Camp also provides a great arena to learn and develop skills that can last a lifetime.

 

Lessons may focus on everything from agriculture to the arts and campers get to sing around the campfire, and dress up in costumes for theme-night dances. They can swim, play games, go on nature hikes and more.

 

Summer camps are $60 for the elementary; and $85 for the junior and senior students.  If you would like more information on these camps, contact Jim Tunheim at 651-288-4066 or education.director@mfu.org.

 

 

 

Minnesota Farmers Union schedules “coffee talks” throughout Minnesota

 

ST. PAUL (April 21, 2008) Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) President Doug Peterson will be having “coffee talks” throughout Minnesota in the next couple weeks.  These meetings are for members and non-members concerned about rural issues.  MFU insurance agents will also be in attendance. 

“This is an excellent chance for people in rural Minnesota to get out and discuss their concerns regarding healthcare, bovine tuberculosis, property taxes, transportation costs, ethanol and biofuels, and gives Minnesota Farmers Union an opportunity to keep a pulse on what is going on in rural Minnesota,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President.  “It also gives Farmers Union a chance to provide an update on what has been happening on the federal and state level, as well as other items Farmers Union has been working on.”

 

The meetings are as scheduled:

 

Wednesday, April 30

2 p.m.             Menahga                    Cottage House Café

7 p.m.             Bemidji                       Hampton Inn & Suites

 

Thursday, May 1

10 a.m.           Fosston                      Maple Ridge Cafe

1 p.m.             Thief River Falls         Black Cat Café

2:30 p.m.        Crookston                  Irishman’s Shanty

7:30 p.m.        Fergus Falls               AmericInn

 

Friday, May 2

10 a.m.           Alexandria                  Perkins Restaurant

1:30 p.m.        Little Falls                   Royal Cafe

                                               

Tuesday, May 6

10 a.m.           Owatonna                   Happy Chef

1 p.m.             Goodhue                    Doc Sawyer’s Restaurant

3:30 p.m.        Farmington                Eagles Club

                                               

Thursday, May 8

10 a.m.           St. Peter                     Waldo’s Café

1 p.m.             St. James                   Home Town Café

3:30 p.m.        Windom                      Happy Chef

7:30 p.m.        Luverne                      Pizza Ranch

 

Friday, May 9

10 a.m.           Marshall                      Perkins Restaurant

1:30 p.m.        Benson                       Sandy ’s Cafe

 

Minnesota’s bovine tuberculosis status downgraded

ST. PAUL (April 9, 2008) The United State’s Department of Agriculture (USDA) has downgraded Minnesota’s bovine tuberculosis (TB) status from Modified Accredited Advanced (MAA) to Modified Accredited (MA). 

“Although it is unfortunate that Minnesota has dropped in status, it is the first step toward attaining split-state status, which Minnesota Farmers Union policy calls for, and which would allow for the non-affected region to go back to Modified Accredited Advanced status,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President.  “Plus the split-state status allows for money allocated to the state to fight and eradicate bovine TB to be used in a more targeted region.”

According to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH), the downgrade in status means that for interstate shipment of feeder cattle or bison, there must be a negative TB test within 60 days of shipment, and sexually intact animals can only move to an approved feedlot.  For interstate shipment of breeding cattle or bison there must be a negative whole herd TB test within 12 months of shipment and negative individual animal TB test within 60 days.  For slaughter cattle or bison there is no test required if animals move directly to slaughter at an approved facility.  A TB accredited herd can move animals without an individual test if a negative TB test was completed in the past 12 months.  General requirement for milk herds is that there must be an annual negative TB herd test.

The Minnesota BAH continues to work to get Minnesota to a split-state status.  The BAH is hoping to have the split-state status recognized by the USDA this fall, which would allow for the non-affected regions of the state to be upgraded.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) allocated $2.7 million in emergency funding to fight TB in Minnesota. The emergency funding will be used to depopulate infected cattle herds, which is crucial to prevent the spread of the disease and to indemnify producers.  The funding also will be used for enhanced surveillance; not only to identify affected herds but also to determine the source of infection.

For updated information, you can call 1-877- MN TB FREE (877-668-2373), or go to www.mntbfree.com.

 

Minnesota Farmers Union Carver County President featured in KSTP story

Minnesota Farmers Union Carver County President Scott Hoese's farm was featured on a KSTP Channel 5 story on how recent rains have impacted planting.  To view the video file, please click here:

http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S423818.shtml?cat=206

 

Minnesota Farmers Union Vice President Dennis Sjodin featured in KSTP story

 

Minnesota Farmers Union Vice President Dennis Sjodin's farm was featured on a KSTP Channel 5 story on farmer input costs.  To view the video file, please click here:

 

 

 

Minnesota Farmers Union featured in CNN story

 

Minnesota Farmers Union was featured in CNN's "Hard Hit in the Heartland" story.  To view the video file, please click here:

 

http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/news/2008/03/07/news.harlow.minnesota.final.cnnmoney

 

 

What issues matter to you?

 

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is looking for people that are engaged in, or concerned about politics, public policy and the election to fill out an online query.  From the responses, MPR will select underreported and unaddressed issues, ideas, perspectives and experiences to feature in their election news coverage and national programming.  MFU encourages you to go to the following link,

www.mpr.org/issues2008, fill out the form, and let your concerns be heard. 

 

 

National Farmers Union has announced a Carbon Credit Program!  For enrollment and benefit information, click here!

Minnesota Cooks! Editorial - Star Tribune

To read an an editorial in the August 31, 2007 Minneapolis Star Tribune about the Minnesota Cooks! program, please click here

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National Farmers Union News  

For the latest developments in farm policy, visit National Farmers Union at www.nfu.org

Carbon Credit Program

National Farmers Union has announced a Carbon Credit Program!  For enrollment and benefit information, click here!

 

 

For more information on Farmers Union events or programs, please call 651-639-1223.

 

 

Minnesota Farmers Union 
A Voice for Rural Communities and the People Who Live There

Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) works to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers and rural communities. MFU is a nonprofit membership-based organization. Membership is open to farmers and non-farmers.

 

Minnesota Farmers Union

Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) works to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers and rural communities. MFU is a nonprofit membership-based organization. Membership is open to farmers and non-farmers. 

To join Minnesota Farmers Union through the National Farmers Union web site,

click here 

(If you join as a member of Minnesota Farmers Union, you also become a member of National Farmers Union at no additional cost.)

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