You’ve heard me say this many times before—farms like yours are best for rural economies, best for the environment, and best for food security. In this column, I want to talk more about food security. Did you see the feature story on Dan Casler and his family in the last issue of our Magazine?

In early June, a major market jump saw cash cattle trade close to $190.00, but futures didn’t really keep pace. June ‘23 Live Cattle hit $180.25, an all time high.
On-feed numbers will likely continue to tighten and carcass weights are down, restricting…

The world of grain production and marketing continues to experience extreme volatility. Let’s briefly examine some of the most prevalent challenges.

When you think of dairies, Michigan probably isn’t the state that comes to mind first. However, in 2020, Michigan ranked number one in the U.S. for pounds of milk produced per dairy cow annually — 26,875 pounds. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says milk production…

Normally, we feature the president’s message in this space. However, President Olson wanted to dedicate this page to important Convene ‘23 business that was held March 7-8 at the Isle Casino in Bettendorf, Iowa. Olson thanks everyone who attended the organization’s annual farm-business…

Excited about current marketing opportunities for cattlemen and women, Paul Lampert, livestock marketing director, and Jeff Rose, cattle contract manager, addressed the National Farmers members gathered in Bettendorf, Iowa, on March 8, for Convene ‘23. The reduction in U.S. cattle…

It was great to see so many of you at national convention. I had a chance to talk with some of you who remembered how we started as a protest organization.
Others I saw joined during the time we were the nation’s leader in collective bargaining for agriculture…

We are right in the middle of a major market jump as I write this article. Cash cattle trading is at $177 and futures not really keeping pace.
April 2023 gapped higher and is at an all time high near $171. On-feed numbers will likely continue to…

Our National Farmers convention was an incredibly rewarding experience this year. The opportunity to interact with old friends and to meet new friends was a real privilege and generated new enthusiasm and determination to accomplish our goals as members and producers. The grain marketing…

Dairy cows have been at the center of Rachel Rynda’s life since before she could walk. It is fitting that she now represents Minnesota’s dairy industry as the 69th Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Many of Rynda’s childhood memories revolve around black and white cattle, family, and county fairs. “I remember playing in the barn alley while my parents…

The Isle Hotel & Casino in Quad Cities, Iowa, is home for our annual winter member meeting March 7 and 8. Convene ’23 is just two days long, and a national board meeting begins at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 6.
Committee meetings will take place Tuesday morning, March 7, beginning at 7:30 a.m. A member welcome morning…

National Farmers Legislative Coordinator Gene Paul flew to Washington, D.C., in early September to talk with farm policy influencers as part of the National Farmers Union fly-in. He spoke with National Farmers Communications Director Perry Garner about his trip…

Greetings to all. Here in the upper Midwest, we saw our first frost in late September and the leaves turned beautiful fall colors. Corn and soybean harvest was in full swing the second week in October after the crops matured. Fall is the traditional time of the year when National Farmers begins to see our annual membership…

In the last issue of our magazine, President Olson wrote about our tremendous growth that has taken place under some of the most challenging times your organization has ever endured. This growth has made our dairy program stronger and more efficient in many ways:

Nate Kauffman, an economist for the Omaha branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, recently said that despite higher-priced inputs, interest rates and inflation, overall conditions for Midwest farmers right now are stronger than they were before the pandemic. He also highlighted that many producers are in a good financial condition…

The Oxford Dictionary defines risk management as the forecasting and evaluation of risks, together with the identification of procedures to avoid or minimize their impact.
In the current agricultural marketplace, regardless of the commodity produced, risk management practices and strategies are more important than…

Eddie and Tracy Foster in Montgomery City, Missouri, are on track to support the aspirations of the next generation that are tilling the soil and raising livestock. While some farming traditions have remained the same since the first Foster stepped onto the land, others have changed…

Dairy farming is about more than cows. Some families are just born to be dairy farmers.
A few minutes visiting with Mike and Missy Cottrell will convince you that dairy farming seeps into your soul. The Cottrells live in…

Surrounded by the Coast Range Mountains on the east and north and the Coquille River to the south, a small southern Oregon town greets visitors. Nestled in a picturesque valley, Coquille, Oregon, is just 20 miles from the coast and happens to be a perfect location for dairying. Enjoying warmer weather and less wind than nearby…

NForganics and the Montana Organic Producers Cooperative have announced a three-year contract to provide organic hard red spring wheat to One Mighty Mill, headquartered in Lynn, Massachusetts.
The wheat will be cleaned and bagged into 2,000 pound units in Montana before transportation to One Mighty Mill facilities…