Minnesota Farmers Union

ST. PAUL (February 4, 2010) - With grassroots input from its farmer-membership, Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) has set priorities for the 2010 legislative session.  These include: protecting agricultural portions of the state budget, addressing property tax concerns, and promoting energy legislation.  The 2010 legislative session begins Thursday February 4.

"This legislative session will be about the state's budget shortfalls and how we improve the economy and create jobs", said Doug Peterson, MFU President.  "MFU will be working with our farmers to ensure that rural Minnesota is represented in those discussions."

Agriculture makes up a very small part of the states $36 billion budget, yet agriculture makes up somewhere between 20-30% of the jobs and wealth in Minnesota.  MFU will work to make sure that cuts the state needs to make to address the over $1 billion budget deficit does not do undo harm to rural Minnesota and the farming sector.  MFU will also work to ensure sound funding for food safety, energy, livestock, sustainable and organic programs, and continue our work toward eliminating bovine tuberculosis from Minnesota.

St. Paul (February 19, 2009) - Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) members from the northwest, and west central regions of the state recently went to the State Capitol to discuss Farmers Union policy and the 2009 legislative session with legislators.

"This is a chance for the legislators to hear from Farmers Union members about the immediate needs of rural Minnesota," said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President.  "It also gives our members a chance to let the senators and representatives know about our Farmers Union policy, and why it is important to them."

St. Paul (January 29, 2009) - Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) members from the southwest, southeast, and east central parts of the state recently went to the State Capitol to discuss Farmers Union policy and the 2009 legislative session with legislators. Members also met with Attorney General Lori Swanson, and attended a House hearing on the Green Acres Program.

Farmers Union policy issues that came up in discussions with state senators and representatives were: protecting the state agriculture budget; stabilizing property taxes; repealing the changes made last year to the Green Acres Program; supporting universal health care; financial support to those impacted by the bovine tuberculosis outbreak; extension of the 2009 sunset date of the farmer-lender mediation program; support for local control in making siting decisions that deal with livestock facilities; a strong corporate farm law; support to achieve conformity with the Minnesota estate tax, and section 179 of the federal tax code; and bonding requests for the Rural Finance Authority.