President’s Podium – You Are RMFU

June 9, 2023

“Across our three states, our members are busy working away, providing food, fuel, and fiber for the consumers of the world. There really is not a time of year that is slow in agriculture, but spring and summer are definitely a time of increased activity and excitement as things sprout and grow, and animals are born and mature. Along with that activity on the farms and ranches, there are many activities in RMFU. Summer county meetings are happening, youth camp is planned and ready for next month, and the current Fellows class’s second weekend is planned. One of our goals at RMFU is to increase engaged membership, and our excellent Membership and Communications teams are working hard to provide opportunities for our members to be involved and make sure you know about them.

Everyone understands that in agriculture, you must make hay when the weather allows it, crops tell you when it’s time to work, and things always come up at the last minute. However, I also believe that in addition to crops and livestock, the community is an important thing that farmers and ranchers grow. Just as growing a successful crop or building a strong herd requires years of work and time, along with some luck, building a strong community requires the same.

Growing up on a farm and ranch, I knew we were busy. During calving, seeding, summer tillage, and harvest, it was often sun up to sun down, yet I still have many memories of RMFU summer camp, chapter meetings, Dad attending RMFU Drive-In and NFU Fly-In, and many other community activities. It wasn’t until we had our own kids and committed to being involved that I understood that being involved is an intentional act. As members of your communities and RMFU, I ask you to make that commitment and be intentional.

When you get that postcard or email about a local event, please put it on the calendar and go to meet with your neighbors and nurture your community. Put September 11-13 on your calendar, and attend the NFU Fly-In, as the Food and Farm Bill will be huge on the agenda and affects us all.

November 16-18, we will again be in Greeley for the RMFU convention, and I’d like to see another year of high attendance.

Beyond that, RMFU offers many opportunities to be involved in leadership roles. Unfortunately, the RMFU Board had to declare a number of county chapters inactive due to a lack of organized activities, sometimes going back a decade. These chapters are not gone. In fact, they will be given special attention to re-energize members in those areas. If your local chapter was one, reach out. There are resources to help you regain active status.

This year at Convention we will have elections for NFU Convention Delegates, and three board elections, including an open Vice President election, as our great leader Dale McCall will be fully stepping down from leadership at RMFU. While we are thankful for the years of service Dale has given us, I have no doubt we will have a great candidate pool running, and it will be a tough choice for our delegates.

I encourage anyone interested in knowing more about the role and responsibilities of the RMFU Board of Directors to please reach out. I’ll be happy to talk, especially if you are considering running for a position.

Building a successful farm, ranch, or any business requires work and intentional decisions, as does building a thriving community. Join RMFU in making the effort to build stronger communities. Take advantage of opportunities and search out ways to make a difference.”

–Chad Franke, RMFU President