President’s Podium: The Spring Rush Continues

What does Rocky Mountain Farmers Union do? That’s a question that can take a while to answer so the quickest answer is “a lot.” Let me run through a few of the things that I have been working on lately.

Legislation, both state and federal, has a big impact on agriculture. New Mexico and Wyoming sessions have adjourned, and there are reports on what RMFU was able to do for our members in those two states. See the New Mexico Round-Up later in this newsletter and the Wyoming Round-Up on our website. Colorado’s session is nearing its end, with a flurry of bills like always. You will see a report after the session ends, but in a challenging budget year in Colorado, there were a few legislative wins for rural residents and those in agriculture.

On the federal level, RMFU will be in Washington DC for the NFU Week of Action, taking some members with us to try once again to get an updated Food and Farm Bill passed this year. After two years of kicking the can down the road with extensions of the expired 2018 Food and Farm Bill, our producers and consumers need an updated bill to get passed. We will also be talking to administration officials and legislators about how much the uncertainty around trade and funding is causing in agriculture. While our policy clearly states “we urge Congress to take a proactive approach to the reduction of the federal deficit,” we also believe that it should be done in a well-thought out, methodical manner.

Because of our willingness to speak out about our policies, you may have seen RMFU in the news lately, and that will continue. We have become the go-to source for interviews and information about agriculture for the media in our area. We are very active in sending press releases, responding to interviews, and getting reporters in contact with members who have stories to tell. We embrace our mission of strengthening member voices, and I believe we have been achieving that.

As if the legislation and communication sides of RMFU weren’t busy enough, the business side of RMFU has also been active lately. The Board of Directors met in conjunction with the spring FUSA Agent’s meeting, making important decisions and guiding the organization. The role of the Board of Directors is more important than most of our members realize, as they make sure that resources and support are available to carry out the work we do for our members. It is because of the work of previous boards that RMFU can be successful today.

One group often overlooked during these busy times is our hardworking FUSA agents and staff. Without these folks and their support, it would be impossible to be as effective as we are. Both through the funding generated by the agency and being the face of RMFU in many of our communities, our agents are a big part of RMFU. If you are not talking to your local agent about your insurance needs, and about how they can help your local chapter you should be. They are a wealth of knowledge and resources and will do what they can to help their communities.

As you can tell, there is a lot going on. In this time of uncertainty and the need to be a voice for our members and our communities, I am often grateful for the work of so many of our past and current members, staff, and directors. When I speak to media, legislators, or others in the industry, the reputation of RMFU as an effective grassroots family farm and ranch organization is apparent, and that is not just because of the work that I do, but because of the legacy of decades of previous work.