WASHINGTON – On February 20, 2025, the Cattle Plaintiffs in the In re: Cattle and Beef Antitrust Litigation against JBS, Tyson, Cargill and National Beef received preliminary approval of an $83.5 million settlement with JBS. The class action lawsuit, filed in 2019 by National Farmers Union (NFU), R-CALF USA and four individual ranchers, alleges anticompetitive conduct in the cattle market. Eligible parties may now submit claims under the terms of the JBS settlement.
The court’s action establishes certain deadlines for persons who may be eligible to share in the JBS settlement. The settlement classes covered by the proposed settlement include, subject to certain exclusions and conditions, all persons or entities: a) within the U.S. that directly sold fed cattle for slaughter to Tyson, JBS, Cargill and/or National Beef from June 1, 2015, to February 29, 2020, other than pursuant to a cost-plus agreement and/or a profit sharing agreement; b) who held a long position in live cattle futures traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) prior to June 1, 2015, and subsequently liquidated the long position through an offsetting market transaction at any point prior to November 1, 2016. The deadline to submit claims is September 15, 2025.
The settlement website, www.CattleAntitrustSettlement.com, informs both cattle feeders and futures traders of the details of the settlement. The website also provides instructions as to how claims can be filed, and how persons can object or opt out of the settlement.
NFU urges those who meet the Settlement Classes’ description above to review the information on the website and submit claims before the September 15, 2025, deadline.
As noted in the claim form, any information feeders and futures traders submit in connection with their claim “will be maintained confidentially and will not be made available publicly or to any Defendant.”
The Cattle Plaintiffs are represented by Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP, Cafferty Clobes Meriwether & Sprengel LLP and Robins Kaplan LLP.
The court has appointed a Claims Administrator that can answer any questions potential class members may have about the JBS settlement, including any questions regarding how to submit a claim to share in the JBS settlement. The Claims Administrator can be reached at 1-844-435-8844 or Info@CattleAntitrustSettlement.com.
The FTC and five states have brought an antitrust lawsuit against John Deere because it is not providing farmers with the same diagnostic and repair tools it makes available to its authorized dealers. The FTC litigation team would like to speak with farmers and independent repair shops to learn if their businesses have been affected by Deere’s actions. If you are interested in speaking with them, please CALL (but do not text) one of the following attorneys at the FTC:
Susan Raitt, 202.725.2593
Jack Parke, 202-326-3242
By: Alan Guebert
On Feb. 21, 2018, this space outlined my assessment of Congress's meandering approach to the overdue 2018 Farm Bill. Don't just polish the badly tarnished 2014 Farm Bill, I urged; write a bill that "addressed" the law's biggest flaw, "crop insurance's inability to either slow or reverse falling farm income."
It was a waste of ink. Shortly thereafter the GOP-led Senate and House Ag committees buffed a few things here and there and, presto, the 2014 Farm Bill and its flaws became the 2018 Farm Bill with flaws intact.
And it remains the law today; Congress is still trying to write an updated Farm Bill.
All that failure carried a high cost. Under the 2014 law, total U.S. direct government payments–composed of 20 different payment schemes–totaled $69.5 billion, or nearly twice what Congress had budgeted.
The 2018 Farm Bill, with its 2014 flaws and the costly first Trump tariff program thrown in, nearly doubled that cost: $122 billion from 2019 through 2023.
The most recent two years' worth of farm program spending–which doesn't yet include any expected 2025 Trump tariff-mitigation spending–is already a shocking $51.8 billion.
Much of the spending, writes Carl Zulauf, an ag economist emeritus at Ohio State University in an April 16 farmdocDAILY bulletin, is because "ad hoc & emergency programs and crop insurance have not been countercyclical to net return since 2006."
That means the pre-2014 farm program approach of high government income support during years of low market prices and low government spending in years of high market prices no longer applies.
As such, "The policy question," Zulauf poses, "is simple, 'Does society–do farmers–want a countercyclical crop safety net which makes high payments when private market return is low and low payments when price market return is high?'"
If this countercyclical regime is to be reestablished, he suggests, "ad hoc and emergency payments should be made only after commodity and crop insurance payments are known" and shouldn't amount to more than "economic cost of production."
Secondly, "Crop insurance can be made countercyclical by insuring only yield."
Both are critical back-to-the-future, pre-2014 moves needed for farmers to escape what he describes in a later bulletin as "U.S. crop agriculture's government payment trap."
Since 2014, he explains, "Total commodity and ad hoc & emergency payments plus net insurance payments [collectively $120 billion] notably exceeded economic losses [-$32 billion] from producing the nine crops"–barley, corn, cotton, oats, peanuts, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat–"for which USDA computes cost of production."
That excess amount? A staggering $88 billion.
Those billions, Zulauf asserts, fueled the 52 percent rise in "farm assets" over the same crop year (2012/13 to 2023/24) period as "farm real estate increased 59%."
At the same time, "Farm debt rose 73% as real estate debt rose 96%. Total and real estate interest expense increased even more, 87% and 100% respectively."
That "government payment trap" continues the "pressure for more payments… that markets will expect…." But "more payments are… unlikely to relieve the crop cost-squeeze" and "instead [will] raise the cost of producing crops."
Even worse, "Unwinding this trap will unfortunately come with pain, such as higher financial stress and bankruptcies, unless higher prices or yields increase private market returns or interest rates decline."
And, he adds, "This trap and its potential pain could largely have been avoided if past crop safety net payments had not exceeded private market losses…" Indeed, he adds, "(P)olicymakers should always aim to avoid having total crop safety net payments exceed crop sector private market losses."
But that's not what writers of the 2025 Farm Bill plan to do. To them it's still 2014 and if Zulauf is right, taxpayers won't be the only group paying a high price for reloading this government payment trap.
Farmers, already caught in it, will pay an even higher price.
LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- Ranchers who have claims to file in the $83.5 million settlement in a JBS antitrust case have until Sept. 15, 2025, to get that done.
In February 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota granted preliminary approval of the settlement because of a class-action lawsuit filed in 2019 by the National Farmers Union, R-CALF USA and four individual ranchers who alleged that JBS took part in anti-competitive conduct in the cattle market.
The ag groups alleged in their lawsuit that Tyson, Cargill and National Beef Company leveraged their "consistent control" over the purchase of about 85% of fed cattle in the U.S.
The settlement classes covered by the proposed settlement include, subject to certain exclusions and conditions, all persons or entities within the U.S. that directly sold fed cattle for slaughter to Tyson, JBS, Cargill and/or National Beef from June 1, 2015, to Feb. 29, 2020, other than pursuant to a cost-plus agreement and/or a profit-sharing agreement, according to a news release from the National Farmers Union.
Also eligible are entities that held a long position in live cattle futures traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange prior to June 1, 2015, and then liquidated the long position through an offsetting market transaction at any point prior to Nov. 1, 2016.
The settlement website, www.CattleAntitrustSettlement.com, provides information for feeders and futures traders on how to file claims and how to object or opt out of the settlement.
"As noted in the claim form, any information feeders and futures traders submit in connection with their claim 'will be maintained confidentially and will not be made available publicly or to any defendant,'" NFU said in a news release.
The court has appointed a claims administrator who can answer questions about the JBS settlement, including any questions regarding how to submit a claim to share in the settlement. The administrator can be reached at 1-844-435-8844 or Info@CattleAntitrustSettlement.com.
The original lawsuit alleged that the companies conspired by paying lower fed cattle prices "directly to producer plaintiffs and members of the producer class than they would have in a competitive market."
The lawsuit alleged that "those transacting in live cattle futures and options, including certain plaintiffs, suffered significant harm as a result of defendants' conduct."
Read more on DTN:
"Ag Groups, JBS Reach $83.5M Settlement"
Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com
COLLEGE STATION, T.X., April 29, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced a second round of payments coming this week for specialty crop producers through the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, providing up to $1.3 billion in additional program assistance. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) already delivered just under $900 million in first round payments to eligible producers.
“President Trump is again putting farmers first. After a thorough review of USDA funding for certain programs to ensure they align with the President’s policies and uphold our commitment to responsible distribution of American taxpayer dollars, USDA resumed MASC payments. I am happy to announce this second round of support for specialty crop producers today and we are thankful for the work they do to produce the safest, most abundant food supply for our families and the world,” said Secretary Rollins.
First announced in December 2024, MASC authorized $2 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funds to assist specialty crop growers with rising input costs and aid in the expansion of domestic markets. In January 2025, in response to stakeholder feedback and program demand, funding for MASC was increased to $2.65 billion. The MASC application period closed on Jan. 10, 2025.
MASC is designed to help specialty crop producers meet higher marketing costs related to:
MASC covers the following commercially marketed specialty crops:
###
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
The following survey opportunity is meant for farmers and ranchers in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas that raise cattle, hogs, poultry, small ruminants, bison, or similar species.
The goal of the survey is to assess the region’s gaps in available slaughter and processing facilities for area farmers and ranchers and what impact, if any, recent increases in access to slaughter and processing have had on the region’s farm operations.
For more information contact Kelly Nuckolls, Assistant Director and Assistant Professor of Practice for the LL.M. Program in Agricultural and Food Law, University of Arkansas at kn015@uark.edu or 479-575-6134.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USDA officially announced the Emergency Crop Assistance Program (ECAP), a new program that includes direct payments of up to $10 billion in total economic assistance for eligible producers of eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. The program will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The program and funding were authorized by Congress in the American Relief Act, 2025, the year-end government funding package last December. The program will begin accepting applications tomorrow, March 19.
Farmers Union members fought very hard to ensure these funds were included in the year-end package, which was far from certain. NFU issued public statements in December 2024 here, here, and here (and upon passage of the deal, here) regarding the need for this aid – while continuing to stress the need for a new 5-year farm bill. During the year-end debates over funding, NFU also fought for agricultural disaster assistance, and the nearly $21 billion authorized for that purpose is expected to be distributed by USDA at a future date, but there is not a clear timeline yet for this.
You can preview program details in the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) here. We have summarized some of the program information below.
FSA will generate pre-filled ECAP applications for producers based on their acreage of eligible commodities on FSA-578. Beginning in late March, FSA will mail those pre-filled applications to producers who had reported their 2024 crop year acreage of eligible commodities by March 10, 2025. Producers with a level 2 eAuthentication account or a login.gov account may complete their application electronically by visiting https://www.fsa.usda.gov/ecap.
Farmers do not need to wait to receive their pre-filled application to apply; farmers are welcome to apply directly through their local FSA office or online (if eligible) before receiving their pre-filled application.
The program application will open tomorrow, March 19, and close on August 15.
USDA will make a simplified calculator available to producers on the USDA website. Here is how USDA is describing its formula in the NOFA:
FSA has calculated a payment rate for each eligible commodity that is equal to the greater of:
FARMERS UNION
March 15, 2025
Press Release:
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) delegate members attended the National Farmers Union 123rd annual convention held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on March 12th thru March 14th.
Delegates attending were Bert and Denise Pruett of Slidell TX, Wayne Laminack of Ralls TX, Clayton Tucker and Kristi Lara of Lampasas TX and TFU Vice-President David Schertz of Krum TX. The TFU delegates joined over 200 delegates from all across the United States in a grassroots process of setting policies to help strengthen family farmers and ranchers’ ability to make a living providing food and fiber to the American people and the world.
The main priority policy that was adopted by the delegates was a new comprehensive robust 5-year Farm Bill that includes:
Other priorities included addressing federal and state governments passing legislation and establishing rules that:
Texas Farmers Union
February 16, 2025
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) believes that financial responsibility is paramount for success in any business and that includes our Federal Government. TFU believes that an audit of all Departments of the Federal Government has been long overdue and welcomes the current administration’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) conducting thorough audits of the governmental Departments to find wasteful spending. TFU believes that any actions taken by DOGE due to these audits should not be of partisan nature, should have considerable deliberation done and Congress be thoroughly informed before any action is taken.
The current administration’s threats of closing beneficial programs, the firing of thousands of federal employees and the current freeze of government funding due to the ongoing audits for certain farm programs like conservation, climate smart farming initiatives, and many other programs that farmers and ranchers have enrolled in or rely on to enhance or protect their operations. Many farmers have already spent millions of dollars to start the implementation of cost-share programs and are waiting for their share to be reimbursed from the government programs that were passed and implemented by Congress.
All farmers and ranchers rely heavily on the USAID program to help with humanitarian purchases of commodities (keeping prices from collapsing), research, and grants. Shutting this program down completely would be another pitfall that farmers would have to try and overcome. TFU believes that the firing of thousands of USDA employees at this time is ill-advised and will have significant repercussions on the ability to administer farm programs and payments in a timely manner. This comes at an already volatile time for farmers and ranchers that are dealing with natural disasters, a record agriculture trade deficit, lower commodity prices, and higher input prices that contribute to a failing agricultural economy.
We urge President Trump to not shut down the USAID program in its entirety, only the portions that are of wasteful spending. We urge the President to authorize the release of the frozen funds intended for agricultural programs and urge the newly confirmed Secretary of Agriculture to rethink the firings of so many USDA employees and expedite the disaster and economic assistance packages that are included in the American Relief Act 2025, passed by Congress to help ease some of the burdens facing farmers and ranchers.
Texas Farmers Union
February 13, 2025
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) would like to congratulate Brooke Rollins, a fellow Texan, on her confirmation as Secretary of Agriculture for USDA. We look forward to working with Secretary Rollins on behalf of all of our TFU members to advance policies protecting farmers and ranchers by improving and strengthening their return on investment.
TFU is committed to protecting farmers from corporate consolidation, advancing and strengthening conservation programs and risk management tools, advocating for the re-instatement of Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) on beef, and eliminating the Mandatory Electronic Animal Identification (EID) rule on beef cattle.
TFU asks Secretary Rollins to hit the ground running by advancing as quickly as possible the payments passed by Congress in December to provide some help for farmers with the economic disaster that is plaguing the agriculture economy.
Texas Farmers Union
January 27, 2025
Press Release:
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) a grassroots farm organization held their 123rd annual convention in Abilene Texas on January 24th and 25th.
President Mike Oldham from Wheeler/Bastrop counties was re-elected to his 2nd term and Vice-President David Schertz from Denton/Wise counties was re-elected to his 2nd term too. Pam Oldham from Wheeler county, Finley Barnett from Taylor county, A.J. Priesmeyer from Wharton county and Billy Miller from McLennan county were elected to District Director positions.
TFU’s policy committee presented their recommendations for any additions to the 2025 policy book and the top priorities to the delegates for adoption. This grassroots procedure sets the guidance for the organization throughout the next year. Some of the top priorities the delegates passed were: A New Farm Bill, Right to Repair legislation, Texas Education, Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), Farm Financial Assistance, Trade and overturning the Mandatory Electronic Animal ID mandate.
TFU would like to thank the great speakers that addressed the delegation that included Chase Kuzel Director of Communications for National Farmers Union (NFU), Lizzie Cook from O’Donnell high school, Judith McGeary an attorney, activist & sustainable farmer, Lisa Battad the Executive director of Dept.of Agriculture Philippine Carabao Center and the key note speaker at the banquet was Jeff Kippley NFU Vice-President.
January 27, 2025
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) proudly announces the development of a new scholarship in the amount of two thousand dollars that will be rewarded to one deserving individual.
Eligibility is open to all graduating high school seniors, college students, and individuals who will be continuing their education in either a two-year or four-year accredited college, university, or technical school for any area of study. They must obtain a TFU membership.
The application time is open now and the deadline is April 1, 2025. The winner will be announced by May 31, 2025.
The application and criteria can be found on our website www.tfunion.org or by clicking this link.
December 15, 2024
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) expresses their increasing concern for U.S. and Texas farmers, ranchers, and rural Texas as negotiations for an economic assistance package for farmers and an expanded extension to the Farm Bill have stalled in Congress.
Farmers have been saddled with low commodity prices, high input costs, and natural disasters causing a $29.3 billion net farm income loss in 2024 alone. With an already unstable farm economy coupled with the current farm income losses, farmers need help to survive. Without the economic assistance funding, many farmers will be unable to secure the financing necessary to produce the upcoming crops that supply the food and fiber for the U.S. and many others, leading to an uncertain future for many farmers and rural areas.
TFU asks everyone to call their Representatives and urge them to come together and pass an economic assistance package and a new robust expanded Farm Bill to provide the necessary assistance needed and guidance to the men and women that produce the American food supply.
Thanks,
Texas Farmers Union
Texas farmers and ranchers are facing enormous economic uncertainty and financial burdens with the continued failing agriculture economy. The continued decline of crop prices, coupled with high interest rates and high input prices, are causing farming and ranching operations to look for financial help to survive and keep their way of life of producing America’s food and fiber.
The 2018 Farm Bill expired on September 30th, 2023, and was extended by one year. That extension expired on September 30th, 2024, leaving farmers and ranchers to forge forward without a clear path of what future farm policy will look like. Farm Bills are supposed to help protect America’s food security, promote job creation, advance environmental sustainability, and help protect farmers and ranchers from the many risks associated with farming and ranching.
Texas farmers and ranchers need a new comprehensive 5-year Farm Bill now! Please call your Congressman/women and urge them to work together to help protect the American farmer and rancher and the Nation’s food security.
Thanks,
Texas Farmers Union
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) supports the recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ruling to stop Kroger’s $24.6 billion mega-merger with Albertson’s. If this merger would have been allowed to happen, it would have created the biggest supermarket merger in U.S. history. This is a win for the citizens of the United States and Texas by stopping more consolidation in the marketplace and keeping grocery prices lower. TFU believes competition within the marketplace and all sectors keeps prices lower and therefore will always advocate for the enforcement of all U.S. anti-trade competition laws for the betterment of Texas and the United States.
Texas Farmers Union
The failing farm economy crisis is taking its toll on U.S. farmers and all of the other people that work in the agriculture industry. Natural weather disasters, prices below the cost of production, high input costs, and high interest rates have placed many more financial risks and mental health issues for the family farmer than ever before. Many bankers that provide the financing for farmers to produce their crops are delaying approving new production loans until they see if the farmers they work with are provided with the much needed assistance.
The farm communities need help now to hopefully keep the men and women of agriculture on their farms and producing a safe and reliable food system for the American people.
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) supports the passage of The Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act (FARM Act) or any other financial assistance package that some members of Congress are trying to get passed to help offset some of the financial hardships facing the American farmer and rancher. We know this is not a complete solution to the problem facing farmers and ranchers but it will give some relief to a growing problem that will impact every American citizen.
TFU urges the U.S. Congress to come together and pass the FARM Act or any other financial assistance package immediately to help the American farmer alleviate some of the financial burden that they have endured and keep a safe and reliable food supply for the United States.
Texas Farmers Union
The current Farm Bill is set to expire for the second time on September 30th, 2024, and with no new news coming out of Washington DC, it may be a while before we get a new Farm Bill passed. The many factors contributing to the delay (party line shenanigans, childish behavior by both political parties, and a lack of motivation to get a new Bill signed before the election) are causing a greater impact on the U.S. agriculture economy than most outside of agriculture circles want to admit.
A Farm Bill protects America’s food security, promotes job creation, advances environmental sustainability, and is supposed to protect the family farmer and rancher from the many risks associated with farming and ranching. With agriculture being a key contributor to the U.S. economy, there is no better investment from the federal budget than smart farm policy.
The farm economy is failing and falling deeper into a place where a lot of family farmers and ranchers will not be able to survive and return to the incredible way of life that is farming and ranching. There are many circumstances that have arisen since the last Farm Bill was signed that are leading to the failed ag economy: interest rates are at their highest point in a few decades, record declines in net farm income, the ag trade deficit is at record levels and forecasted to be 32 billion next year, supply chains haven’t returned to pre-COVID standards, and farm inputs have remained at high levels even with declines in commodity prices.
A new Farm Bill is needed sooner than later to address these problems, along with addressing climate change, an inadequate farm safety net, land access, corporate control, and many other issues. America’s farm and ranch families and all those that work in agriculture need a new strong Farm Bill now!
In my opinion, the current and past Farm Bills have focused on trying to address revenue support for farmers. These policies have resulted in overproduction of commodities, causing below cost of production prices for commodities and higher costs to the federal government. We need to promote a Farm Bill that supports a supply management program that addresses the problems of cheap prices and costs, and supports net farm income by providing price supports for major crops. Any supply management program would take into account the cause of low prices (supply that exceeds demand) by taking a marginal amount of supply off the market so that crop prices rise to a profitable level, and if necessary, inducing farmers to reduce their production through paid acreage reduction programs through conservation programs. With crop prices well below the cost of production and the ag trade deficit at all-time highs for the foreseeable future, the same old revenue programs will be too expensive and still provide inadequate support to farmers.
Any and all future Farm Bills need to take into consideration and value the environment by fully funding and expanding authorized conservation programs that include paying early adapters of climate-smart conservation practices. They should also value the less fortunate by fully funding and expanding food and nutrition programs. In addition, Farm Bills must address corporate greed and the monopolization of the agriculture sector, such as the consolidation of agriculture manufacturers, seed companies, chemical and fertilizer companies, and crop insurance companies. The growing agriculture trade deficit needs to be immediately addressed to open new markets and revisit old markets, including free and fair trade, to reduce our agriculture trade deficit.
There are many other important factors and needs that a Farm Bill must have to help protect the family farmers and ranchers of this great nation, but there are too many to list here. Please call your representatives and senators and urge them to get together and pass a new robust Farm Bill that will help ensure the survival of the American family farmer and rancher.
David Schertz
Life-long Texas farmer and rancher and current Texas Farmers Union Vice-President
[WASHINGTON September 2024] -- National Farmers Union just completed their Annual Fly-In in Washington DC. The purpose of the visit was to educate our representatives on what is going on in the countryside. Those attending were David Schertz of Krum, TX (cattle and grain farmer), Billy and Shorty Miller of Crawford, TX (owners of Mill-King Dairy), Clayton Tucker of Lampasas, TX (a goat and cattle producer), and President Mike Oldham and his wife Pam Oldham of Smithville.
We had a national board meeting on September 7, 2024 at the national offices, with time being spent on future leadership for Farmers Union, the oldest farm organization in the nation, still made up of farmers from the fields, ranchers, and land owners.
Fly-In Opening and USDA Briefing: 8:00 am – 11:45 am
U.S. Department of Agriculture South Building 1400 Independence Avenue SW
Participants lined up at 7:00 am at the Wing 5 Entrance of the USDA South Building with Fly-In name tags and photo IDs for the security screening. The session began at 8 am in the Jefferson Auditorium. Welcome and introductions from NFU were followed by remarks from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Presentations were made by USDA leaders, including:
1:15 pm – 4:00 pm
325 Russell Senate Office Building - Kennedy Caucus Room
Participants entered the Russell Senate Office Building. All Fly-In participants were welcome to attend this event. Leaders from key federal agencies and the Senate Agriculture Committee provided policy updates about Fly-In priorities. Speakers included:
Tuesday and Wednesday were spent on Capitol Hill visiting representatives from our home state, talking about low prices, dry weather, and the expiring farm bill (September 30). The new bill should strengthen the safety net for farmers, boost permanent disaster assistance, expand crop insurance options, allow dual enrollment for ARC and PLC, and stem the loss of family dairy farms. Other topics discussed included:
The Farmers Union also supports temporarily freezing the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) while pursuing broader H-2A and agriculture workforce reforms.
We covered many issues while focusing on the main one: we need a new Farm Bill to protect our farmers so we continue to have a cheap supply of food and fiber in abundance from our family farmers.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) shared a 38-page long document that details about his forthcoming draft farm bill legislation:
The chairman also issued an open letter to farm bill stakeholders, in which he outlined his approach towards penning the legislation. He pointed out that he's willing to receive additional feedback and concluded his letter by saying "while the Chairman’s mark is near finalized, my door remains open." You can see the letter here:
The National Farmers Union just completed our 122nd National Convention in Scottsdale AZ. Delegates, Board Members, Guests’ Representatives, 234,000 members from across country: Farmers, Cattleman, Fishers, & Organics.
Texas group: David Schertz wheat, corn, cattle producer from Krum, Texas. Along with Bert Pruett is also cattle producer from North Texas, Alton Cook farmer from Lamesa, Texas. New member Clayton Tucker from Lampasas sheep and goat farmer. Also attending President Mike Oldham of Smithville came from Shamrock, Texas formerly cotton, wheat, peanut, and cattle producer.
The NFU Convention started with a banquet on March 10th where we received a message from the White House. The National Farmers Union distributed all Service Awards. The White House welcomes the input of NFU members, & input on 24 Farm Bill. NFU always asks for what is needed not necessarily what can be passed by Congress, we usually meet somewhere in middle. The union has grown by about 30,000 over the last year. We remain strong and the oldest farm organization in the US.
On Monday morning March 11", President Rob Larew gave some membership and leadership awards & gaveled into session. Convention addressed by Sarah E. Suggs of the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute of American Democracy. This group works with high school age youth from across America, learning in camps how democracy works, really teaching government or civics which aren’t mandatory in our school anymore. We as NFU want young citizens to be taught what it means to be a part of this great democracy.
Secretary of Ag Tom Vilsack made a few remarks, then we were made aware of the huge impact of no new farm bill and importance of one, along with the funding from Congress to Administer it. Followed by about 2 and a half hours of questions and answers. The secretary also took out time for some “one on one” meetings with our members. His caring attitude and relationship with the Farmers Union always a plus for Agriculture. Our NFU staff and members constantly lobby on behalf of all involved in Agriculture to get the right bill passed. The rest of the day was spent in breakout sessions. Food Safety, & Right to Farm laws. New opportunities in the low carbon world, managing stress, protecting land owner’s rights and Right to Repair Legislation.
Rob Larew of West Virginia, & Jeff Kippley of South Dakota were reelected as President and Vice President on March 11th. We heard remarks from Rod Snyder Senior Advisor of Agriculture at EPA, Doug McKalip Chief Negotiation for U.S. Trade, also Sarah Hunt National Association of Farm Broadcasters.
After a short lunch the delegates quickly returned for Policy Adoption, when members from across Agriculture decided what our policy will be in 2024. Not to say some points of view needed debate. After a day and half our policy makes room for, all farmers, stockman, and fishers. We believe in a strong crop insurance program, disaster program, & we must constantly strive for higher prices and safety net.
We ended the convention with the passage of Policy & Special Orders of Business. Farm Safety Net, Family Farming and Conservation. Fairness to Farmers, Diary Policy Reform.
We will gather again in March 2025 for the Convention in Oklahoma City.
USDA recently announced a long awaited new “Product of USA” labeling rule. USDA stated that starting in 2026 animal products would need to be born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the U.S. to use the “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” labeling.
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) supports this new labeling rule and sees it as a step in the right direction, but still asks for, Mandatory Country of Origin (MCOOL) on all food products.
The new labeling rule addresses a loophole used by multinational meatpacking corporations that has allowed cattle born and raised in Mexico and Canada but slaughtered and packaged in the U.S. to be labeled “Made in the USA”, which undermines the U.S. beef market and cuts into U.S. ranchers paychecks.
TFU believes in fair trade with our trading partners but feels that the U.S. farmers, ranchers and consumers should be the top priority when it comes to rulemaking and not what is in the best interest of multinational corporations or other countries.
Thanks,
Texas Farmers Union
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) supports the Congressional Review Act recently passed by the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support that would reinstate a long standing ban on beef imports from Paraguay that was lifted in November 2023.
TFU applauds the Senate for their recognition that this ban being lifted was a problem for cattle producers and consumers in the U.S. and now asks the House of Representatives to quickly take up the measure and pass it.
The ban on beef imports from Paraguay will benefit U.S. cattle producers consumers by protecting the safety of their food supply and also placing a value on supporting American farmers and ranchers when they go to the supermarket
Thanks,
Texas Farmers Union
USDA has been trying to implement mandatory electronic identification (EID) for over a decade behind the push from multi-national meat packing corporations and the rouse of food safety and traceability. They have failed to accomplish this from a push back from the American farmer and rancher every time that subject was brought up.
USDA is again trying to force their plan for all cattle producers to use EID ear tags on all adult cattle shipped across state lines. They have submitted a final rule for review by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a step closer to accomplishing their goal.
Texas Farmers Union (TFU) has always fought for farmers and ranchers to keep their right to a more profitable path in agriculture. TFU believes that the new rule would cause burdensome regulations and extra costs to the farmers and ranchers. The extra costs to farmers and ranchers from the tags themselves to the other infrastructure costs that more than likely will passed on to the farmer and rancher.
TFU believes that the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) rule that exist today covers the requirements needed to trace cattle movement. The rule requires all dairy cattle and adult beef cattle that cross state lines have some form of identification either in the form of electronic or low tech forms of ID. The new proposed rule would make EID the only form of ID allowed for cattle crossing state lines.
TFU and farmers and ranchers need your help by calling your Congressman/woman and Senators and tell them to stop USDA’s EID mandate. Call the Capital Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for them by name.
Thanks for your help and consideration.
Texas Farmers Union
