MFU members set farm bill priorities and more during annual convention

Montana Farmers Union

HELENA - For more than 100 years, the Montana Farmers Union Annual Convention has gathered people passionate about agriculture and this year's convention continued the tradition.

"We had a great line up of speakers, several leaders from the USDA and MSU updating us on their activities, as well presentations from some innovative members on new markets for meat, soil resilience, rural entrepreneurs, precision ag and more," MFU President Walter Schweitzer said about the 107th annual event held in Helena Oct. 14-15.

Highlights included addresses from state agriculture and rural development leaders, as well as veteran political reporter Mike Dennison; panel discussions about regenerative ag practices, rural entrepreneurship, and direct to consumer marketing; and a Q&A session about the Farm Bill with National Farmers Union President Rob Larew and other Farmers Union state presidents.

"The difficulty for me was choosing which breakout to attend, as I thought they were all great," Schweitzer said.

The panels and presentations were meaningful, but the best part was the people, said Jeff Bangs, who sits on MFU's board of directors and farms near Inverness.

"The highlight for me was, of course, seeing old and new friends - but also seeing some new active and engaged members at the event," Bangs said.

Mark Siderius was one of those new faces. He farms and ranches as well as runs a timber harvest and construction company in the Flathead and attended convention for the first time in two decades.

Siderius, who serves as president of the Flathead Local, praised MFU Membership Ambassadors for their efforts to increase active participation in the grassroots farm organization.

MFU provides an avenue for people to connect over their shared interest in seeing producers and rural communities thrive, and, Siderius said, people seem to be craving just that.

"In my opinion, Farmers Union is kind of the advocate for everybody in agriculture," he said.

MFU's advocacy takes many forms, including a Washington, D.C., Fly-In and work at the local and state levels.

Larew shared an update on the national organization's work to gain Fairness for Farmers.

He attributed the organization's success in moving bills - the Cattle Price and Transparency Act, the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and right to Repair legislation - forward in part to the Fairness for Farmers Campaign that launched a year ago.

The heart of Farmers Union isn't based in D.C., though, he said.

"It's about the stories and speaking up in our local communities and states to build that strength and actually get things done," Larew added.

During remarks Oct. 14, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said Farmers Union has never been better represented on Capitol Hill during his time in Congress.

  The Big Sandy farmer and legacy MFU member thanked MFU for its support of his current bills he said are seeking to limit corporate power and increase market fairness and transparency, as well as provide producers with the right to repair their own equipment.

He touched briefly on the Farm Bill, saying that its renewal will be important to the health of family farms.

"If you want to transform [the Farm Bill] to keep people on the land, then I'm all ears about that," Tester said.

MFU members have already begun the conversation about what the Farm Bill should include and Farm Bill-specific policies approved during Convention by the full membership included:

• Strengthen the farm safety net through increased price-based triggers to reflect higher prices and input costs.

• Expand and enhance permanent disaster programs so that family farmers and ranchers can recover quickly.

• Expand conservation programs to help family farmers and ranchers enhance good conservation practices and address the climate crisis.

• Promote resilient regional food systems and diverse markets.

• Support a strong Nutrition Title.

• Increased baseline funding is needed.

Resolutions Committee members also made several other recommendations to update the organization's policy for the upcoming year that also holds a Montana State Legislative Session.

"Our policies articulate a roadmap for the direction and priorities of Montana Farmers Union and its members," said Tammy Copenhaver, a Resolutions Committee member who ranches near Rudyard.

This year, members focused in on priorities related to climate resiliency, water and land use, competition, health care and food security.

The annual event also provided an opportunity to take care of organizational business.

  Board of Directors elected during Convention were: Rollie Schlepp of Conrad, Vice President; Ben Peterson from Judith Gap, District 5 and 6 at-large; Erik Somerfeld from Power, District 2; Jan Tusick from Polson, Secretary/Treasurer, District 6.

While the days were jam-packed with workshops and speakers, members still found time to connect with new and old friends.

For Siderius, seeing everyone again and being part of the event was a homecoming of sorts that allowed him to connect with people and hear about common challenges and successes.

"For me, the conversation gives an understanding that the advocacy that needs to happen needs to be a broad picture," he said.

The convention was about business but also connection for Copenhaver, too.

"Attending MFU Convention is a great way to meet and reconnect with those passionate about agriculture and advocacy," Copenhaver said. "A bonus was learning about the regional, state and national priorities, along with ways we can help our communities thrive."