ST. PAUL -- Tim Henning of Adrian received a membership award for his work recruiting members for Minnesota Farmers Union.
"Membership recruitment is always a tough thing to do, and I firmly believe that our organization is the best kept secret on the countryside. Membership is the basis of our organization, and helps make it the success that it is," Henning said.
Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union president, said Henning is one of the top membership Minnesota Farmers Union year after year.
During the National Farmers Union, convention, dele- recruiters for
gates from more than 30 Farmers Union states passed policy debated and and Special Orders of Business. Tom Buis was re-elected to a second twoyear term as NFU president, and Claudia Svarstad was newly elected Vice President, filling the position of the retiring Alan Bergman.
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One of the Special Orders passed was about Risk Management Agency (RMA) Biotech Yield Endorsement Pilot Program, which called for the opposition of RMA endorsing private sector influence of crop insurance premium levels with regard to specific crop inputs, practices and technologies.
"I was very happy that the Special Order of Business regarding biotech yield endorsement was passed," Henning said. "This language originated in Nobles County, was passed at our state convention, and now at the national level, making it part of both our state and national policy. This shows that the grassroots nature of Farmers Union works."
Other Special Orders passed were regarding: passage of a farm bill that includes a counter-cyclical safety net tied to cost of production; trade agreements that are fair to the interests of American agriculture, and that levels the playing field for all producers; further expansion of renewable energy across rural America; further development of the Buy Fresh-Eat Local consumer food movement; and public policies that promote an economically secure dairy industry in order to ensure the continued viability of family dairy production in the United States.
