President’s Podium: Upcoming Bylaws Review

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union has been around for 118 years. Founded in 1907 as Colorado Farmers Union, it has grown from a small group of producers to a much bigger, more complex organization. The nine Board of Directors, including myself, are elected by delegates at our annual convention and meet quarterly. Each of those convention delegates are elected by their county chapter to represent the county members. The annual convention official notice is published in the Union Farmer and sent to county officers 45 days prior to the convention.

How are these details determined? Why nine board members? Why are delegates elected by county chapters?  Why a 45 day notice? Because our Bylaws say so. Our Bylaws are the operating rules for our organization, the legal document that says who the organization is, and how it is structured and operates.

One of the governance responsibilities of the Board of Directors is the duty to ensure that we, as an organization, are in compliance with all governing laws and regulations. This includes a periodic review of our Bylaws. Recently, I asked RMFU Legal Counsel to review our Bylaws to ensure that they comply with current Colorado law and that they also meet current best practices. From an initial review, it appears likely that our Legal Counsel will be requesting our members amend the existing bylaws.

In addition to the legal review some members have asked to include a review of the operational side of the bylaws. To honor this request, I am appointing a committee of members to review the bylaws from the operational viewpoint and work with Legal Counsel on any recommended changes. This committee will be made up of members who have a a solid understanding of the history of RMFU and the role bylaws and governance play in our organization. They will be asked to seek out and compile thoughts and input from members. This committee will then work with our Legal Counsel, drafting proposed changes while ensuring legal compliance, then discussing any proposals and answering questions in the lead up to the 2026 Convention.

In compliance with the current bylaws, these changes must be finalized and presented to the board sixty days prior to the convention. This is followed by a vote of the convention delegates, which requires a 2/3 majority to pass any changes. That means that any proposed changes will be available and discussed during our fall convention season.

What does this mean for you as a member? The initial stages will be the legal review, as well as determining the best process to gather member feedback, so keep an eye out for further information on how you can participate. In the meantime, if you have specific questions or concerns feel free to email me at pr*******@**fu.org. These processes are part of what it means to be a grassroots organization, and we look forward to working with our members to ensure that RMFU remains and active and member-driven voice for family farms and ranches.