April 2015 Union Farmer

South Dakota

VOLUME XCVIII, NO. 4

HURON, SD

APRIL 2015

UNION FARMER A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

Young Couples Retreat

ACE Fly In

Centennial Spotlight

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South Dakota Delegates Join More Than 480 Farmers from Across the Nation at the 113th Anniversary Convention

South Dakota Farmers Union Celebrates Ries Farm Family Celebrating a century of service to South Dakota's farm and ranch families, throughout 2015, South Dakota Farmers Union will highlight members who farm or ranch with their families each month. In April, South Dakota Farmers Union features the Ries family who operate a dairy farm near Watertown.

For photo caption turn to page 15.

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.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, complimented Farmers Union leadership and members in his keynote address during the 113th National Farmers Union Anniversary Convention held in Wichita, Kan., March 14-17, 2015.

“FARMERS UNION LEADERS ARE ON TOP OF THINGS. THEY ARE PASSIONATE, PERSISTENT AND RELENTLESS IN GETTING THEIR MESSAGE OUT TO HAVE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT FAMILY FARMERS AND RANCHERS.” Continued on Page 13

Do Not Change COOL! This May, Farmers Union is gathering members to share their story with Congressional Leaders during the Do Not Change or Repeal COOL Fly In. Do Your Part by picking up your phone to ask our Congressional Leaders Not to Change or Repeal COOL. Details: The main number to the Hill switch board is 202-224-3121. For more information, contact Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director for S.D. Farmers Union, 605-352-6761 ext. 114. #KeepCOOL

The Ries family operates a dairy and cow/calf beef herd as well as raise crops on farmland near Watertown. Pictured here: Brothers Todd, Jason and Deric with their dad, Mel and three-year-old cousins; (L to R Easton, Korbyn and Teegan.)

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n 1950, Donald and Armella Ries purchased some farmland a few miles southeast of Watertown and began milking four cows. A year later, their son, Mel, was born. Today Mel, his wife Orla, and three of their five grown children continue to milk cows on the farm.

“I was raised with it, so I guess dairying stays in your blood,” explains Mel, who began buying his own cows as a teen and farming full-time with his dad right out of high school.

In 1990 he purchased the farm from his folks.

His sons, Jason, Deric and Todd, joined the family farm much the same way: first buying cows in high school, then renting farm acres and today operating a 300-head cow/calf herd as well.

Now with families of their own, the brothers continue to slowly expand the farm’s diversified operations.

“This is a family farm. Anyone and everyone who wants to be involved, is involved,” explains Orla, as she rocks her young grandson, Walker, who is sleeping on her lap.

Three years ago, Orla retired from her off-farm job to babysit. She and Mel have 15 grandchildren and three on the way.

To learn more about the Ries family farm, turn to page 12. For more photos, visit www.sdfu.org. By Lura Roti, for South Dakota Farmers Union

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News, Events and more online now! www.SDFU.org

Around the State with South Dakota Farmers Union HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Thank You South Dakota Farmers Union Farmers Union, Thank you so much for the ticket for the Women In Blue Jeans conference. It was a fun conference, always informative, fun and inspiring. Thanks again and I had a great day!

Vickie Storm Farmers Union, I would like to thank you for the tickets to Women In Blue Jeans. It was a fun time.

Carol Breukelman Dear Karla, I want to thank Farmers Union for sponsoring me at the WIBJ Conference in Mitchell this past weekend. I’ve attended in the past; always enjoying the variety of topics presented and this year again didn’t disappoint me. I came away refreshed, with a feeling that it was time well spent.

Because you sponsored me, I in turn decided to sponsor my sister-in-law. This was her first

COOK’S CORNER

time and she enjoyed the weekend, too.

Thanks.

Jean Morrison Dear Doug and Karla, Thank you very much for meeting with us to discuss the importance of the South Dakota Farmers Union! We appreciate your messages on the importance of leadership, co-ops, and the truth behind agriculture.

Thank you again!

Sincerely, Kaden Eisenbraun, SD FFA Vice-President Andrea R. Collins, SD FFA Sentinel Dear Karla, Thank you for paying my registration to the “Women in Blue Jeans.” Two sisters and two granddaughters attended with me and we all found workshops we were interested in and picked up new ideas to work on.

Thanks again, Gladys Geidel

To celebrate Farmers Union’s Centennial, we will be releasing a cookbook and we’re calling on Farmers Union members to contribute.

Please send your favorite recipes to khofhenke@sdfu.org or submit them through our website, www.sdfu.org. Each month we’ll select one recipe to feature in the Union Farmer’s Cook’s Corner.

Lasagna with Cream Cheese INGREDIENTS: 1 Pound of Ground Beef 1 Onion 1 26 oz Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (I use Prego Garden Combo but it’s up to you) 9 lasagna noodles 1 8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese 1 8 oz Sour Cream 1 16 oz Cottage Cheese 1 bag mozzarella shredded cheese

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Submitted by: Kecia Beranek

Brown beef with onion. Drain fat. Add spaghetti sauce to meat mixture and let simmer (stir regularly). Cook lasagna noodles by instructions. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese and half shredded cheese in a large mixing bowl.

Get 13x9 pan and layer cooked noodles, cream cheese mixture, and meat with sauce.

Repeat for 3 layers. Top with the rest of shredded cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Best Wishes go out to Russel and Norma Gantvoort of Watertown on celebrating 67 years of marriage on March 14.

Welcome

Miles McQuade Beranek arrived on April 10, weighing 8 lbs-7 oz, 19.5 inches tall. He is the son of Kecia and Joe Beranek. Kecia is the Communications Specialist for S.D. Farmers Union.

~ Departings ~

TRYGVE TROOIEN Age 65, of Astoria, SD, passed away Sunday, April 5th.

Trygve was a Brookings County member.

SDFU CLIP AND SAVE CALENDAR APRIL 13 18 21 MAY 11-15 20 25 27-29 JUNE 7-12 16 21-27 JULY 8 14-15 16 16

FFA Quiz Bowl, Brookings District I meeting, Irene Jr. REAL, Newell Summer Intern Training, Huron District IV Meeting, Sargent’s in Winner State Office Closed District I & II Camp, Viborg State Leadership Camp, Rapid City Foundation Golf Tournament, Mitchell All State’s Camp, Bailey, CO Hutchinson County Camp, Menno State Board Meeting, Huron Davison County Camp, Mitchell Minnehaha County Camp, Hartford

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For the Cowboy In All of Us Double D

Western Wear & Tack 800 21st St., Huron, SD 605.352.5792

www.ddwesternhuron.com

Farmers Union Members get

20% OFF* their entire purchase!

Present this coupon with your purchase *Excludes all boots, men’s jeans and tack

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER Policy, Public Speaking & Parliamentary Procedure the Focus of Recent Farmers Union Enterprise Couples Leadership Program

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hroughout the year, we have followed Taylor and Cassie Sumption, the Frederick farm couple, as they participated in the Farmers Union Enterprise Couples Leadership Program. They recently returned from the fourth of five leadership and agriculture-focused retreats which was held during the Farmers Union National Convention in Wichita, Kan. Read on to hear what they have to say about what they learned.

Q: What did you learn about Farmers Union that you didn’t know before attending this retreat?

Cassie answers: I had always been curious about what happened to policy once we approved it during State Convention.

Because this retreat was held in conjunction with Farmers Union National Convention, we spent time discussing this in great length.

Now I understand how Farmers Union’s policy process works.

Once policy that is brought from state organizations is passed at the National Convention, it becomes a focus of what National Farmers Union staff lobbies for in D.C. Q: During this retreat you spent time learning about parliamentary procedure; how will you use this in the future?

Taylor Answers: It can be very intimidating to attend a meeting and almost impossible to participate if you don’t understand parliamentary procedure.

SDFU members Cassie & Taylor Sumption discuss Farmers Union Enterprise Couples Leadership Program during the 2014 Farmers Union State Convention.

Developing our leadership skills has been the focus of the Enterprise Couples Leadership Program – so if we are going to be leaders in our communities, we need to understand how meetings work and how to participate using parliamentary procedure.

Q: Was this the same reasoning behind the public speaking training you also participated in?

Cassie Answers: Yes. We all get busy raising our families and working that it is good to take the time to reflect on developing our own leadership skills – public

speaking falls into that category. After some training, we all practiced giving a short speech in front of the group and engaged in peer reviews of each speech.

I know that after this session, I will feel much more comfortable speaking in front of groups and becoming more involved in Farmers Union.

Q: You only have one more retreat. Has the Farmers Union Enterprise Couples Leadership Program provided you with the skills and experiences you were looking for when you first signed up?

Taylor Answers: Cassie and I were both looking for a way to become more involved in Farmers Union. The Enterprise Couples Leadership Program has opened the door for that and helped connect us with other members throughout our state to help us discover the best way we can become involved and give back to support farm families throughout our state.

Q: South Dakota Farmers Union is looking for the next couple interested in participating in the Farmers Union Enterprise Couples Leadership Program. If I am interested, how do I participate or learn more?

Answer: Contact Karla Hofhenke, SDFU Executive Director, at 605-352-6761 ext. 114 or khofhenke@sdfu.org. Cassie and Taylor Sumption are also available to answer questions. You can e-mail them at Sumptionfarms@aol.com.

Cooperative Highlight: Deuel County Farmers Union Oil Company

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out $643,884 in patronage.

Today, the cooperative, which has 22 full-time employees, provides agriculture inputs, feed and fuel to farmers and homeowners throughout the rural South Dakota communities of Clear Lake, Toronto, Brandt and Hendricks, Minn.

When discussing what makes the cooperative successful, Mewherter has this to say, “We have excellent member loyalty.

We do not have any long term debt to service and we try to expand where and when we see the need.”

riven by the need for local access to products and services, in 1931 a group of farmers began raising funds necessary to start a cooperative. At $10 a share, it took the group five years to collect the $1,733 necessary to open the doors of Deuel County Farmers Union Oil Company.

“It was the middle of the Depression,” General Manager Harry Mewherter explains.

“So, for the time, this was quite a bit of money to raise.”

Hosting its 79th annual meeting in March, the cooperative, which does business as Deuel County Cenex, finished the 2014 fiscal year with $20 million in sales and paid

WWW.SDFU.ORG

Harry Mewherter, General Manager of Deuel County Farmers Union Oil Company/Deuel County Cenex.

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APRIL 2015

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UNION FARMER Cooperative Highlight: Rosebud Farmers Union Cooperative

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stablished in 1940, Rosebud Farmers Union Cooperative provides farmers within a 60-mile radius of Gregory with agronomy products and services, fuel, feed, and a tire and service center for vehicles and farm machinery.

In 2008 it was broke. Today, it is a success story thanks to good leadership, a hard working employee team and loyal members, says Ken Dooley, its General Manager.

“I hired six good managers and paid them good money to go to work,” says Dooley, who worked at the cooperative for 20 years and left in 1994 for another career before returning in 2008. “Success begins with having good people do what needs to be done for your member/owners.”

Dooley explains that due to the cooperative’s location in Gregory, finding people looking for work is challenging. “We are a small agriculture community, so it’s difficult to find good people who are looking for work. We had to bring in people from outside the community,” he says of the cooperative that currently employs 28.

During its recent annual meeting, the cooperative boasted $21.5 million in sales, local profits of $643,580 and total net savings of more than $1.4 million.

At 65, Dooley has dedicated more than 30 years to Rosebud Farmers Union Cooperative. He enjoys his leadership role, but is looking for the right person to pass the torch on to in the next few

Ken Dooley (on right), General Manager of Rosebud Farmers Union Cooperative, receives an award during the 2014 CHS annual meeting in recognition of his 29 years of cooperative service.

years. “I hope someone comes in and continues to help make this cooperative successful. Small towns need to keep their cooperatives.

Our payroll in 2014 was more than $1 million – that turns over several times in a small community like ours.”

Farmers Union Now Taking Nominations for 2015 Rural Dakota Pride Awards

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elping women in her community has been Cindy Wilk’s calling for more than 30 years. It began when her mother, Jan Manolis, was among a group of women to open a domestic violence shelter in Huron.

“Domestic violence is something that is very dear to my heart.

Years ago there was no place for women to go for help. If they didn’t have help from family or friends, there was nothing – no shelters or no counseling,” explains Wilk, who serves as a volunteer advocate.

Today, thanks to the Jan Manolis Family Safe Center and numerous volunteer advocates, not only do victims and their children (the shelter also helps men who are abused) have a safe place to stay if they are in an abusive situation, but they also have an advocate to help them move forward. “We make sure they are not alone,” Wilk says.

As an advocate, she carries a shelter cell phone for two weeks at a time, answering calls from victims and helping them with anything they need. “We are there to let them know we are on their side.”

In 2014, Farmers Union recognized Wilk with the Dakota Rural Pride Award.

“Rural communities depend on these unsung heroes. They are the people who do what needs to be done,” says Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director of South Dakota Farmers Union.

Each year, the Rural Dakota Pride Award recognizes five individuals who give back to their rural communities.

As an organization which supports South Dakota farmers and ranchers, Hofhenke explains that Farmers Union understands the integral connection between those who work in South Dakota’s number one industry and their rural communities.

“One survives with the other,” she says. “Without thriving communities, it’s difficult to encourage young people to return to

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2014 Rural Dakota Pride honorees recognized (L to R): Wayne Soren, SDFU Vice President; John Wheeting, Hub Kieser, Cindy Wilk, Alan Vedvei, Nick Nemec and Doug Sombke, SDFU President.

their family’s farm or ranch. Rural communities are key to the future of South Dakota’s agriculture industry; which is why we like to recognize those individuals who help them thrive.”

2015 Nominations are due July 1 South Dakota Farmers Union is currently accepting nominations for the Rural Dakota Pride Award. Nominations can be submitted via the Farmers Union website, www.sdfu.org, or by contacting Hofhenke at 605-352-6761 ext. 114. The five awards will be presented during Farmers Union Day at the 2015 South Dakota State Fair.

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WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER SDFU Rural Development Coordinator Advocates for RFS during American Coalition for Ethanol Fly In

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s the Corn Belt waits for the EPA rule on the 2015 renewable fuels standard (RFS) mandate, more than 70 supporters traveled to D.C. to meet with Congress as part of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Fly In, March 24-25.

“After successfully convincing EPA last year to reconsider their ill-advised approach to base the 2014 RVOs (Renewable Volume Obligation) on the so-called ‘blend wall,’ ACE members turned to Congress to convey the importance of keeping the RFS on track for implementation in 2015 and beyond,” said Brian Jennings, ACE Executive Vice President.

Since the beginning, South Dakota Farmers Union has been a strong supporter of the ethanol industry. “Ethanol plants play such an important role in rural communities across our state – they provide a local market for corn, jobs, and even bring more families into local schools,” said Erin Wilcox, SDFU Rural Development Coordinator.

Wilcox represented SDFU during this Fly In. “This was a great opportunity to provide Congress with information on the industry and dispel myths,” she said.

She explained that as each group met with Congressional leaders and staff, they carried a few props to show first-hand what goes into producing ethanol, as well as one of its byproducts: a bag of #2 corn, a bag of dried distillers grain (DDG), and a spice rack-size display of the entire ethanol process. “It amazed me how even some staff from the Corn Belt had not seen DDGs before,” said Wilcox, who spent the first part of her career working in the ethanol industry as a lab manager and in technical sales.

Because of her background, Wilcox was able to provide technical information during Fly In visits. In all, the group completed 160 meetings with lawmakers representing 43 states. Wilcox is optimistic that their efforts will pay off.

“A good portion of today’s Congress was not in office when the RFS was passed in 2005/2007. So we saw this trip as an opportunity to educate them on what the RFS is and what it means to states like South Dakota,” Wilcox said. “Whether they like the mandate or not, an industry was built around this mandate. We encouraged them to honor that mandate – reminding them that a promise was made to this industry.”

Left to right: Jeff Enger (ND Corn Growers Association), Kevin Skunes (National Corn Growers Association board member from ND), Erin Wilcox, SDFU Rural Development Coordinator, and Sen. Thune. “We met with the Senator to discuss ethanol and RFS, and thank him for sponsoring a letter to the EPA in support of the RFS (Renewable Fuel Standard). We also gave Sen. Thune a gift from ACE (American Coalition for Ethanol) for his support. ” Erin Wilcox

WWW.SDFU.ORG

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UNION FARMER EPA Administrator McCarthy Tells NFU EPA is on the “Hot Seat” over WOTUS, RFS; Thanks NFU for Constructive Feedback During Rule Making Process

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.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Gina McCarthy, promised the agency would soon come out with a final Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and committed to movement on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as well.

“I really wish we had done a better job of rolling out the clean water rule,” she said and, “I’m really concerned that we weren’t crystal clear, not only about what we intended to do, but also what we weren’t intending to do.”

McCarthy thanked National Farmers Union (NFU) and its members for their helpful feedback during the process and thanked NFU President Roger Johnson for his handling of the situation. “I want to thank you for not

having a knee-jerk reaction,” she said and noted that EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers were working hard to finalize the act by this spring.

McCarthy told the crowd that the agency’s definition of tributaries in the initial draft was far too vague and that would be corrected.

“We are considering appropriate ways to narrow that definition.”

On the subject of ditches, she said that EPA needs to make the definitions clearer.

“Most farm ditches were never covered before, and they won’t be in this new rule,” she promised.

McCarthy also promised movement on the RFS. “The RFS is a complicated program, and we weren’t able to accomplish what we

needed to do last year,” she said.

“Implementing the RFS as Congress intended has been challenging.”

NFU President Roger Johnson thanked the administrator for her hard work but urged her to get the RFS moving forward. “The RFS is a major economic engine for family farmers and although it’s complicated, it needs to get done,” he said.

McCarthy ended by noting that farmers and the agency are not at odds with each other on the goals of clean water. “As long as we remind ourselves that we are totally aligned in our goals, we will get this job done and we will get this job done well,” she said.

Courtesy of Natl. Farmers Union

Public Comments Accepted until May 8, 2015, on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines

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ecommendations that Americans limit their intake of red meat are included in the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines presented by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to the Secretaries of the USDA and Health and Human Services (HHS).

While not the final guideline, the report, issued Feb. 19, 2015, is used as the foundation for developing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans - 2015, which will be released later this year. This advisory report is intended to provide current, scientific data related to diet, nutrition and health.

The public is encouraged to weigh in with their thoughts during the comment period, now through May 8, 2015. Written public comments can be submitted at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2 015/comments/.

How Dietary Guidelines impact Americans?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a set of recommendations intended to guide the food and physical activity choices of Americans leading to decisions that promote good health.

These recommendations are the basis for all federal nutrition education and program activities such as food assistance programs and the school lunch program.

Red meat can also be lean.

When the report references red meat intake, it specifically states, “dietary patterns with positive health benefits are described as high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, seafood, legumes, and nuts; moderate in low- and nonfat dairy products; lower in red and processed meat; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and beverages and refined grains.”

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There is concern that the Advisory Committee has not fully considered the body of evidence pertaining to red meat, especially lean cuts, such as beef, as a nutrient rich food providing a good or excellent source of 10 essential nutrients, explained Amanda Blair, SDSU Extension Meat Science Specialist & SDSU Associate Professor.

“There are more than 30 cuts of beef that qualify as ‘lean’ according to the USDA nutrient database,” Blair said.

She explained that these lean beef cuts have less than 10 grams of total fat and 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat per serving.

Blair noted that the American Heart Association recommends aiming for a dietary pattern that achieves 5 percent to 6 percent of calories from saturated fat, which is about 13 grams of saturated fat a day for a 2,000 calorie diet. “Research supports that not all proteins are created equal, and that animal proteins are considered a source of ‘high quality protein’ based on the amount and proportion of the amino acids they contain,” Blair said. “In addition, they are highly regarded for their iron content, a key nutrient that is often a shortfall nutrient for women, especially among adolescent girls and pregnant women.”

Blair and her colleagues throughout the meat industry are concerned that the Advisory Committee has extended the scope of their directive to include topics such as sustainability.

The report specifically states, “The major findings regarding sustainable diets were that a diet higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts,

UNION FARMER

and seeds, and lower in calories and animalbased foods is more health promoting and is associated with less environmental impact than is the current U.S. diet.”

“This claim, coupled with recommendations concerning lean red meat in a healthy dietary pattern, has prompted strong responses from the meat industry,” Blair said.

Comment period open now through May 8, 2015 As a result of these and other concerns, the comment period has been extended 30 days and will now end on May 8.

Additionally, a public hearing was held in Bethesda, Md., March 24, 2015. Groups in support and opposition of the report provided testimony at this hearing.

The full Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines can be accessed at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015scientific-report/ Additional Information Mandated in 1990 under the National Nutritional Monitoring and Related Research Act, the Dietary Guidelines are a joint effort by the USDA and HHS. The law requires a thorough review and consideration of the most current scientific and medical data. The two agencies alternate leading the effort to release a new set of recommendations every five years.

The process for updating the Dietary Guidelines for 2015 is currently underway and is led this year by HHS. Courtesy of iGrow.org

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER Cooperative Highlight: Watertown Co-op Elevator Association

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ike most farm families who do business handled about 19 million bushels of corn in with Watertown Co-op Elevator 2014. “It’s my goal to keep the cooperative Association, Phil Raml’s has a long moving forward by continuing to grow the history with the cooperative. business and keep it profitable for the “All my life we’ve done business at membership.”

Watertown Co-op. My dad served on the Sept. of 2014 the cooperative completed board when I was a kid,” says Raml, the a state-of-the-art 110-car shuttle loading current board President.

It’s the relationships and top notch service that has kept his family loyal, Raml explains. “There is a difference when you’re an owner – and the dividend we receive each year is a great reminder of why we should all do business with a cooperative,” says the fourth generation farmer who S.D. Farmers Union 2015 State Camp • raises cattle, corn, soybeans and wheat with his sons on the family’s Kranzburg farm.

facility south of Watertown. cooperative reinvests in its future,” says.

To learn more about Watertown visit Elevator Association, watertowncoop.com.

“This Kirsch Co-op www.

growing g rowing stronger stronger with

COOPERATION

Lanny Kirsch, General Manager of Watertown Co-op Elevator Association

Over the years, the board and cooperative management team has continued to reinvest in the cooperative’s facilities and employee team.

Today the cooperative, which was established in 1940, employs more than 60 people.

In addition to Watertown, the co-op also has locations in Henry and Webster. It provides farmers with grain, feed and agronomy products and services. “We have a strong balance sheet and we are growing,” says Lanny Kirsch, General Manager.

Kirsch took over cooperative leadership January 2015. He is impressed by the cooperative’s business model, which completed $160 million in sales and

WWW.SDFU.ORG

June 7–12 • Rapid City, SD

education • cooperation • legislation

• THEME DANCES • • BEAUTIFUL BLACK HILLS • • GUEST SPEAKERS • HIKING • • TOUR DAY • BANQUET • • COOPERATIVE WORKSHOPS •

who:

COMPLETED SEVENTH GRADE THROUGH 12THGRADE

cost:

$200 FOR MEMBERS $250 FOR NONMEMBERS

details:

The registration fee includes food and lodging while at camp, supplemental insurance, a Farmers Union T-shirt, and transportation to and from camp.

Transportation via motorcoach is included in the camp tuition. Route scheduling will be sent to you after the close of registration.

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sign up:

CALL THE STATE OFFICE AT (888) 734-8136, EXT. 125, OR CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.SDFU.ORG. You may also contact your local Farmers Union organization, Farmers Union Insurance agent or local cooperatives.

APRIL 2015

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Cooperatives Provide a Local Voice in A Global World water, high speed internet and cell service, or services like banking, fuel stations, grain storage and marketing, community members formed cooperatives to fill the need.

“Together we are more powerful than alone,” Lentsch says. “Anyone who does not understand the value of cooperatives today needs to sit down with those who fought the battles to provide the services many of us take for granted.”

Member Ownership

David Kayser raises corn, soybeans and cattle with his sons near Alexandria. He is a member of the local agriculture cooperative his grandpa, Art Jarding, helped found.

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ike many farmers with deep roots in South Dakota, the Dirty Thirties weren’t kind to David Kayser’s family.

His grandpa, Felix Kayser, lost his Emery farm and his grandpa, Art Jarding, had to invest his own money to save the local cooperative he helped establish.

“Those were tough times for agriculture,” says Kayser, 55, who raises corn, soybeans and cattle with his sons near Alexandria.

In the end, both grandpas saw their sacrifices pay off. Felix was able to get a fresh start in 1943 when he purchased a farm near Alexandria and Art saw the local cooperative thrive.

Three generations later, Kayser honors his grandfathers’ legacies, farming Felix’s land and first serving on the board of the local cooperative and now serving on the CHS national board of directors. “Cooperative participation is part of our family’s story. We appreciate the voice cooperatives give farmers,” Kayser says.

He explains that before cooperatives, farmers were at the mercy of the large monopolies which provided inputs and bought commodities when it was to their advantage. “The private companies who purchased grain and sold inputs did not listen to farmers’ needs. By forming cooperatives, farmers gained a voice in how and when their commodities would be sold and inputs delivered.”

Kayser says this voice holds value today. It is the reason he continues to purchase 100 percent of his inputs from Farmers Alliance of Mitchell. “The cooperative business structure provides us with a voice on not only the

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goods and services we receive, but also in the cooperative’s governance,” Kayser says.

Kayser is not alone in his thinking. More than 80,000 South Dakotans are cooperative members – whether they belong to an agriculture, electric, banking or telecommunications cooperative, if they are members of a cooperative, their voice is heard, explains Lucas Lentsch, S.D. Secretary of Agriculture.

“It’s about having a local voice that is reflective of the needs of friends and neighbors,” Lentsch says. “Cooperatives unite those with common interests and provide them with access to products or services they need.”

Lentsch goes on to say that for many South Dakota communities, the solutions provided by cooperatives continue to drive economic prosperity. He explains that when private industry didn’t deem rural populations large enough to establish needed infrastructure such as electricity,

Unlike private industry, to become vested or gain ownership, members simply need to do business with their cooperative. “I don’t think there is a farmer alive who doesn’t value ownership,” says Randy Knecht, a Houghton farmer. “Ownership of the supply chain brings value.”

Knecht’s cooperative, Full Circle Ag, is one of many local cooperatives which are members of the national cooperative, CHS, Inc. “CHS is a great logistics company. It provides our local cooperative with ag inputs and fuel in a timely fashion and connects our commodities to the global marketplace.”

Because the cooperative business model is member-focused, cooperatives are only successful as long as they are able to meet their member/owners’ needs. “We have to remain competitive in the marketplace to return value to our customers,” says Jeff Dragseth, General Manager of CBH Cooperative. “As we grow, change and look for new opportunities, our members reap the benefits through much more than patronage.”

Dragseth references a recent conversation he had with one of his members. “This member said patronage doesn’t matter to him. What matters is the fact that he can depend upon his cooperative to invest in the assets he needs on his large farming operation when he needs them – whether

CBH Travel Center in Belle Fourche, SD

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Southeast Farmers Coop

that is people or equipment.”

Since 2010, CBH Cooperative has expanded its service territory to serve members in Montana and Wyoming.

Relevant for the Next Generation “You can’t beat the cooperative model,” says Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union.

A fourth-generation Conde crop and cattle farmer, Sombke says his cooperative loyalty was inherited from his father and grandfather. His grandpa, Alvin, was a founding member of the Farmers Union Oil Company of Ferney and both men served on the board of directors.

Today, he encourages his three grown sons, who farm with him, to remain actively involved. “I hope I’ve instilled the same level of respect for cooperatives in my sons,” Sombke says. “This can be challenging because they are so far removed from the challenges we faced before cooperatives came to rural South Dakota,” Sombke says.

Educating the next generation of cooperative members has been key to S.D. Farmers Union youth education curriculum. Each year more than 2,000 South Dakota youth attend district and state camps where they learn about how cooperatives work and the value they bring to their local communities.

“The value captured from cooperatives isn’t always monetary,” adds Kayser, also a member of S.D. Farmers Union. “I look at our local cooperatives as providing employment, fire fighters, emergency responders and other services to rural South Dakota. Really, the cooperative is an extension of my community.”

Like Sombke, Kayser encourages his four sons to embrace their local cooperative. “I can only hope I have taught them to value the cooperative system because it has only been in recent years that agriculture has attracted private industry to sell inputs locally,” Kayser said. “And, in bad times, what is there to keep private industry from moving on. My grandfather understood this – that’s the reason he invested his own money in sustaining the local co-op.”

The value of cooperatives has not been lost on higher education. Lake Area Technical Institute and South Dakota State University are among post secondary programs across the state which offer classes focused on the cooperative business model.

“We feel it is important to expose this business model to young people,” said Barry Dunn, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council Endowed Dean of the SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences, SDSU Extension Director. “It is a great model for us to stand on our own and be responsible for our own community today and into the future.” by Lura Roti, for SDFU

WWW.SDFU.ORG

James Valley Telecommunications cooperative began 60 years ago. With headquarters in Groton, the cooperative has grown to provide residents of Brown, Spink and parts of Day Counties with high speed internet, cable TV, cell phone and web hosting services.

Yours for Only $10!

Learn the history of South Dakota Farmers Union by reading The Family Farmers’ Advocate by Lynwood E. Oyos.

Full of photographs, this book brings our organization’s history to life.

To make this book yours, make a $10 donation to the Farmers Union Foundation. To learn more, contact Pam Evenson, pevenson@sdfu.org or 605-352-6761 ext. 116.

SDFU also has copies members can check out. Contact Pam if you are interested in borrowing a copy.

UNION FARMER

APRIL 2015

9

UNION FARMER Current Commodity Prices Impact All of South Dakota & Have Farmers Making Tough Decisions This Planting Season

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pring fever hasn’t spread among South Dakota’s farmers as expected this planting season. Jeff Kippley attributes the atypical behavior to current commodity prices which are down about 65 percent from the last five-year average.

“Normally, when you see a 70 degree day, guys are chomping at the bit to get into their fields. This spring very few farmers I have talked with are excited to get planting because they’re worried they may not turn a profit on what they grow,” says Kippley, a Brown County grain and livestock farmer who is also the co-owner of H&R Block of Aberdeen.

As a farmer and tax accountant, Kippley has a unique perspective on the situation. He has seen some clients’ on-farm income drop as much as 85 percent due to 2014 corn markets. The current outlook for the Lucas Lentsch 2015 crop is not an improvement.

“Days of guys looking for ways to spend money are gone,” says Kippley, referencing corn market prices in surplus of $7 just a few years ago. “The markets were extremely strong from 2009 to 2013. I saw many farmers buying equipment trying to avoid paying the government more than $100,000 in taxes. Today, they are looking for ways to cut costs.”

Farmers aren’t the only folks impacted by low commodity prices.

Cost cutting by an industry which accounts for about $25.6 billion, or 30 percent of South Dakota’s total output, is sure to impact the Jim Terwilliger entire state, explains South Dakota State Economist, Jim Terwilliger. “There are a lot of indirect and induced economic impacts that agriculture has on the economy,” says Terwilliger, who points to the $43.9 million in tax revenue poured into the General Fund and generated by 2014 farm machinery sales.

Eight months into fiscal year 2015, Terwilliger says revenue from ag machinery sales is already down 22 percent. The state’s

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fiscal year runs July 1-June 30. “This accounts for about a $9.7 million reduction to the General Fund for 2015,” he says, adding that in response to the reduction, he presented a revised version of General Fund Revenue on March 9, 2015, to the Appropriations Committee. “For the most part the Legislature was able to fund most of the things the Governor and Legislature wanted by making adjustments to other areas of the budget that were experiencing lower caseloads.”

The general fund covers expenditures for the state such as Medicaid, State aid to schools, Board of Regents, Corrections, the Judicial System, Legislature and Elected officials, and Agriculture and Natural Resources.

As one would expect, when the state’s No. 1 industry is cutting back, the ripple effect is sure to hit Main Street. Kippley says that the farm equipment sector is among the first to feel the financial blow. “I have seen some W-2s from guys who work in sales for ag machinery dealerships,earning $130,000 in 2013 drop to $55,000 in 2014. These guys are worried about losing their jobs in 2015,” he says.

Terwilliger references Raven Industries’ recent layoff of 75 employees. “They suggested that the layoffs were in departments closely connected to agriculture and sales were down due to lower incomes generated in the farm sector,” he says, adding that currently, other areas of South Dakota’s economy DuWayne Bosse remain strong.

This depends upon adjustments underway in rural communities across the state, says Doug Sombke, a fourth generation Conde crop and livestock farmer and President of South Dakota Farmers Union.

“Farmers I visit with have really pulled back on their major investments, whether it’s buying new equipment, pick-up trucks or family vacations,” Sombke says. “The impact of low commodity prices isn’t isolated to South Dakota’s rural communities. Farm families shop everywhere. These prices will impact Rapid City and Sioux Falls as well.”

Sombke says some farmers are deciding

UNION FARMER

Jeff Kippley is a Brown County grain and livestock farmer who is also the co-owner of H&R Block of Aberdeen. Pictured here with his wife, Rachel, and their children Noah, Titus, Aaron and Moriah.

to plant fewer acres of corn because of the high input costs associated with the crop.

“Right now, they have no positive break-even mark for pricing of the 2015 crop.”

He pencils it out explaining with current prices, which hover around $3.30* per bushel of corn and current cost of production at about $2.84 per bushel, a farmer raising 300 acres of corn in 2014 would have earned about $19,800 after expenses based on the S.D. Dept. of Agriculture per acre statewide average of 148 bushels per acre. This is a 77 percent loss over 2012 prices.

Whereas in 2012, corn prices were at $6.72 and the state was in a drought, so average corn yields were only 101 bushels per acre. Cost of production was $3.91 per bushel – resulting in the same farmer earning a net income of $85,116 on those same 300 acres.

Sombke says acres not planted to corn this year may be replaced by another commodity, like soybeans, or planted to forage which farmers will either feed to their cattle or sell to neighbors who raise livestock.

Local Markets Increase Profit Margins The livestock industry and other local markets, like ethanol, provide a small profit advantage to South Dakota’s grain farmers, explains Lucas Lentsch, S.D. Secretary of Agriculture.

“Local markets are absolutely the bread and butter of our farms and ranches – in terms of adding value locally – just look at what the ethanol industry has done for our state’s economy,” he says, referencing the

WWW.SDFU.ORG

CUSTER 62K

76K 20

D

24K

$3.13

25K

6M

D

STANLEY 1M

43K

434K

198

D

20

33K

50

53K

D

D

72K

294

FALL RIVER SHANNON BENNETT

9M 168K

1M 67K

TODD

11K

29K

49K

28K

46K

27M

BEADLE

88K 263

67K

GREGORY

DAY

59K

16M

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D

47K

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HAMLIN

85K D

51K

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D

26K

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LES M

CODINGTON

50K

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DOUGLAS

17M

13M

75K

20M

14M 37K 28K

26M

42K 53K

35K 31K

2

68K

27M

128K

49K

INSON IX BONHUTCH HOMME YANKTON 1

51K

18M

17M

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40K

CATTLE (Beef and Dairy)

6K

$3.27

79K

1

11M

D

91K D

12M

$3.38

BUSHELS PER COUNTY

14M

65K

11M

1

56K

CHAR

99K

21M

SANBORN MINER

AURORA

22M

7M

$3.18

13M

13M 71K

95K

JERAULD

1

PRICE PER BUSHEL on 3.19.15

1

GRANT

20

CLARK

1

12K

6M

BUFFALO

$3.06

JACKSON MELLETTE

D

HAND

6M

62K

32K

98K

186

D

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390M

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ROBERTS

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PIGS

DEUEL

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84K

$3.31

47K

21M

BROOKINGS 26M 38K 18K

MOODY

2M

464K

6M

38M

42K

NUMBER OF ETHANOL PLANTS

52K 22K

LAKE

21K

FAULK

44K

18M

$3.42

73K

28M

56K

MINNEHAHA 1

57K

TURNER

26K

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D

219

15M

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18M 10K

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LINCOLN

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UNION

CLAY

50K

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MARSHALL

KINGSBURY

MEADE

PENNINGTON

LAWRENCE

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$3.19

MCCOOK

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35K

EDMUNDS

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35K

HANSON

56

11M

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SPINK BROWN

124K

18M

36K D

496

63K

59K

30K

15M

DAVISON

532K

DEWEY

D

1

48M

BRULE

PERKINS

8M

$3.40

MCPHERSON

HYDE

800K

BUTTE

81K

CORSON

TRIPP

D

CAMPBELL

69K

HUGHES SULLY POTTER WALWORTH

61K

98K

2

36K

7M

D

33K

LYMAN

121

D

106K

8M

D

JONES

150

4M

HAAKON

71K

1M

ZIEBACH

345K

HARDING

UNION FARMER

$3.47 22M 24K 20K

M MILLION K THOUSAND D = Data not disclosed • South Dakota farmers raise in excess of 7 million poultry for meat and eggs; however data on where the poultry is located in the state is too vague to use in this infographic.

• Livestock numbers courtesy of the 2012 Ag Census County Estimates found within the South Dakota Agriculture Bulletin No. 74.

• Corn data courtesy of the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Corn bushel data from 2013.

South Dakota Commodities by County industry which has a $3.8 billion impact on the state’s economy each year. “Keep in mind, South Dakota is landlocked. If commodities we raise here aren’t sold to a local market, they have to be driven out or shipped out by rail car because we don’t have access to barge traffic.”

Lentsch explains that counties with a local demand for corn-stemming from ethanol plants and high concentrations of livestock including: dairy, beef, pork, poultry and sheep operations, are able to provide farmers with greater profits per bushel because basis levels are lower.

Basis is the cost associated with exporting commodities out of state, explains DuWayne Bosse, 36, a Britton crop farmer and coowner of Bolt Marketing, LLC, a commodity marketing firm. “Basis is supply and demand in its purest form. In a farming community

like Britton, we produce a lot of corn, but we don’t have enough demand to meet the supply – so to pay to ship it out, local elevators have to charge the farmer basis,” Bosse says explaining further that if the Chicago Mercantile Exchange is paying $3.94 for a bushel of corn, but it costs 64 cents to ship that corn, the local elevator will only pay farmers the difference, which as of March 25, 2015, was $3.30.

Whereas in a community with greater local demand, the basis may only be 34 cents, because the grain elevator is able to market more of the grain it purchases from local farmers, reducing the amount it needs to export.

“A 20 to 40 cent difference is a big deal in today’s market. In some cases it means the difference between breaking even and losing money,” Sombke says.

Lentsch adds, “The ripple effect of having a diversified ag portfolio within our communities is tremendously valuable to everyone.”

Lentsch points out that in South Dakota most concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, are family owned and operated. “Agriculture in South Dakota has not stood still. Family farmers have continued to invest in their operations and have discovered efficiencies, which in the case of CAFOs, provide a fantastic engine to process locally grown grains and forages.”

To learn more about this topic and review more data, visit sdfu.org. *Based on March 25, 2015, Chicago Mercantile Exchange price of $3.94 and Marshall County cash price of $3.30, which accounts for basis of 64 cents. Co-Authored

by Lura Roti & Erin Wilcox for SDFU

Send Us Your Email Address sdfu@sdfu.org WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER

APRIL 2015

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UNION FARMER

Raising Kids, Cows & Crops on the Ries Family Farm

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o matter the day or weather forecast, the Ries men greet the sunrise together milking 225 cows on their family’s diversified Watertown farm.

“There’s just something about working with dairy cows – they really depend on us,” explains Jason Ries, 36, who farms with his dad, Mel, and brothers, Deric and Todd.

managing a different aspect of the diversified farm. Todd works with the cow/calf herd and dairy calves, Deric is in charge of feeding and Jason takes care of the crops. “It’s what we all enjoy doing, so it works out,” Jason says.

Along with milk cows, to accommodate the next generation, the family farm has expanded to include more crop acres and a 300-head cow/calf herd. Other than shell corn, the farm produces all its own feedstuffs and bedding.

When asked why they made their career on the farm, all four men say they appreciate the independence farming affords them and their families. “We get to be our own boss and work outside,” explains Deric, 30. “We all get to do our own thing, but we are all here to help when it is needed.”

For example, the cow/calf herd is calving right now, so the brothers take shifts. The men calve both the beef and dairy cows in a barn they built originally as a holding barn in

Jason & Laura and their sons: Jamison, 14; Nicholas, 12; Logan, 11; Kyler, 8; Landyn, 7; and Korbyn, 3.

The men milk in the stanchion barn Mel’s dad put up in 1973. “It works well for us and it’s paid for,” Jason explains.

After milking, the cows are turned into an open format holding barn the family built in 2014. With plenty of soft bedding, fresh air and natural light, the cows are protected from the elements and are able to rest and feed at their leisure. “It really gets me when people say that dairy cows are mistreated,” Deric and Jordan and their daughter, Teegan, 3.

Mackenzie and Todd and their two sons: Easton, 3, and Walker, 1.

Jason says. “When you look at how we care for our cows, it is obvious that they are well treated.”

Following the morning milking chores, the four men go their separate ways, each

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2001. “We all take turns checking cows every couple hours throughout the night,” says Todd, 28. “We are all in this together and for the most part, we get along and enjoy working together.”

“You have to be a tight family to keep a dairy farm running,” his wife, Mackenzie, adds. “No matter the day, we always come together as a family in the end.”

Laura, Jason’s wife, attributes the camaraderie the brothers feel for each other to how Orla and Mel raised their sons. “I think a lot of it has to do with how the boys were raised. For all of us, being part of this family farm means we all come together and help each other out so that no one has to be married to the farm 24/7, 365 days a year. We can go and do things when we have the opportunity, and make memories with our children off the farm, too.”

Fostering an environment where his sons

UNION FARMER

With Farmers Union we have a Voice

Not long ago, a Facebook friend of Laura’s shared an article which portrayed dairy farmers in a negative light. She says it’s moments like that when she’s glad that she and Jason belong to Farmers Union.

“We appreciate knowing that we have an organization that is standing up for us and fighting for us,” Laura explains.

In September 2014 the couple was a part of the South Dakota delegation to travel to Washington D.C. to advocate for farm and ranch families as part of the national organization’s annual Fly In. “It was one of the best experiences we will participate in. It was so interesting to see first-hand how things work in D.C. and to know that when we are busy on our family farm, Farmers Union is standing up for us and our rights.” can take ownership has always been important to Mel. “It was hard to let go at first, but I have learned that my sons have different ideas as to how things should run, so I have to be open to try their ideas. I tell them if it pencils out, we can try it,” he says.

Mel and Orla also have two grown children who live and work off the farm, a son, Brian, and a daughter, Amy Kjetland.

Truly a family farming operation, the men do not have any employees. They each own their own dairy and beef cows, as well as farm acres. Because the siblings all have families of their own, they begin the evening milking at 3:30 in the afternoon so they can participate in their kids’ activities.

“There are enough of us here that if one of us has to leave, we can,” Deric explains.

His wife, Jordan, adds, “It’s all family – we do all the work and we are here for each other if we need anything.”

Until recently, all three daughters-in-law worked off the farm. Laura and Jason have six sons and Laura works for the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks regional office in Watertown; Mackenzie and Todd have two sons and Mackenzie works for Northeast Cooperative as a paraprofessional in the special education room at Castlewood School; and Jordan and Deric are expecting twins this May and have a young daughter.

Jordan recently decided to leave her off-farm job to stay at home.

To view more photos of the Ries family, visit www.sdfu.org. by Lura Roti, for SDFU

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UNION FARMER NFU Convention Wrap-up Continued from Page 1

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Meeting with farmers from across the nation was a highlight for delegate and SDFU board member, Joel Keierleber. “During the National Convention we have the opportunity to meet with farmers from all over the nation and learn about how agriculture looks in

olicy development was on the minds of the 27 South Dakota Farmers Union members who made the journey to join the more than 480 farmers and ranchers from across the U.S. during this National Convention. “Our delegation was engaged and actively participated in policy discussions.

They did an excellent job representing our state and our organization’s resolutions,” says Doug Sombke, President of S.D. Farmers Union.

Board member, Joel Keierleber, with his wife, Audrey. The Keierlebers farm near Colome.

Alexandra Farber (left) accepts an award for her father, Tom Faber, who was recognized by National Farmers Union for his recruitment efforts.

Tom is from Britton and recruited more than forty members in 2014.

South Dakota Farmers Union elected delegates were Lorrie Hanson and Taylor Sumption. The board delegates were Doug Sombke, Wayne Soren, Terry Sestak and Joel Keierleber.

Convention delegates adopted six special orders: Family Farming and Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL); Family Farming and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS); Family Farming and Transparency in Livestock Markets; Family Farming and Cotton in the 2014 Farm Bill; Family Farming and Trade Policy; and Family Farming and Animal Disease Protection and Research. For a full

text of the adopted policy manual, visit www.nfu.org.

“As always, National Farmers Union (NFU) delegates took the policy discussion and adoption process very seriously, considering the needs of family farmers and ranchers and planning the best path forward for them and the future of American agriculture,” says NFU President Roger Johnson. “NFU is one of the few organizations in Washington, D.C., that is truly driven by its members, who meet with each other, as well as elected officials and government agencies, and then convene once a year to discuss the organization’s overall policies and vision for policies important to family farmers and ranchers at our annual convention.”

SDFU Vice President, Wayne Soren, and his wife, Vicki. The Sorens farm near Lake Preston.

other states,” says the Colome farmer who raises grain and hay and operates a cow/calf operation with his wife, Audrey.

Wayne Soren, SDFU Vice President, agrees. “I am continually amazed at how diverse agriculture is. I am reminded of this whenever I step away from the Northern Plains and our corn, soybean, cattle and wheat focus to meet with farmers who raise everything from peanuts and cotton to vegetables and fruit,” he says.

While comparing similarities and differences between agriculture commodities, Soren adds that even though the crops raised may be different, many of the challenges

Board member, Franklin Olson, and his wife, JoAnne. The Olsons farm near Pierpont.

Troy Hunhoff represented South Dakota Farmers Union as a member of the National Beginning Farmer Institute.

Hunhoff farms near Yankton.

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Johnson went on to explain that throughout its 113 years, National Farmers Union has been a tale of solving problems and building support for policies to help family farmers and rural America. “National Farmers Union was founded in Point, Texas, at a time when America’s farmers were literally on their own. There were no government safety nets, no available marketing tools, no control over prices or profit margins, and no ability to stand up to the large conglomerates which were already starting to dominate American business,” Johnson says.

UNION FARMER

Dayton Trujillo, De Smet (left), and Chris Nemec, Holabird, serve on the National Farmers Union National Youth Advisory Council.

farmers face nationwide are the same as the ones faced by farmers in South Dakota. “We are all worried by the current commodity prices. We all want a fair price for what we are growing – it doesn’t matter if it’s oranges or cattle.”

In addition to policy discussions and Continued on Page 15

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UNION FARMER South Dakota Farmers Union President Granted Audience with Pope Francis & Vatican Leaders to Discuss Importance of Family Farming and Ranching

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outh Dakota Farmers Union President, Doug Sombke, was among five Farmers Union state presidents who were granted an audience with Pope Francis, March 25, 2015.

Sombke met with the Pope following a weeklong series of meetings with Vatican officials and rural-based non-governmental organizations to discuss the important role family farmers play in food security, as well as the fact that most food produced in the U.S. is produced by family farmers.

“This was an incredible opportunity for South Dakota Farmers Union and our brother organizations across the United States to work with the Vatican and network with others in Europe for the future of family farming,” said Sombke, a fourth-generation Conde crop and livestock farmer. “It also affords us the opportunity to let the world know what farming in the United States is truly like.”

Sombke added that one of the biggest challenges the Farmers Union delegation faced was dispelling the widely held myth

that U.S. agriculture is completely dominated by large, multinational corporations. “Many see American farmers as corporate-controlled and nothing else.”

The delegation also spent time with Caldoritti, the largest farm organization in Italy, the International Catholic Rural Association and the Secretary General of the World Farmers Organization. These meetings were held prior to an international symposium of faith, food and the environment that will take place in Milan, Italy, June 24 - 27, 2015.

The two principal organizations representing the U.S. were National Farmers Union and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. The findings of earlier symposiums and these meetings in Rome both will be used to develop The Vocation of the Agricultural Leader, a set of resources that Catholic Rural Life is developing with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in the Vatican.

“All religions are concerned about stewardship and the environment. This is a

belief that can help unite a very divided world,” said Dave Velde, National Farmers Union Chief Counsel, about the discussions that took place in Rome, which he felt transcended all national borders and religious beliefs.

Alan Merrill, President of Montana Farmers Union, agreed. “After spending time revisiting the values we hold, with the emphasis on our spiritual, moral and physical responsibilities to the land and the production of food, Farmers Union grassroots membership should be proud that these same ideas are held high around the world.”

Discussion not only included land use and conservation, but also a resource that is increasingly scarce: fresh water. “In discussions with Vatican officials on environmental issues, one of their concerns is water and the availability in the major agriculture producing regions of the world.

Whether it's drought or contamination, we need to make sure that the water supply remains safe and abundant,” said Darin Von Ruden, Wisconsin Farmers Union President.

“This was an incredible opportunity for South Dakota Farmers Union and our brother organizations across the United States to work with the Vatican and network with others in Europe for the future of family farming.”

Doug Sombke, SDFU President

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UNION FARMER

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER NFU Convention Wrap-up Continued from Page 13 keynote speakers, Soren and Keierleber also took in a breakout session on climate change, “Weather Patterns Today and Tomorrow,” led by Christopher King, the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College. “He wasn’t a promoter or denier of climate change – he basically said that as agriculture producers, we need to be ready for just about anything,” Soren says. “This was a timely session because right now weather is one of the biggest market drivers.”

Delegates also heard from Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Gina McCarthy, and Dr. Temple Grandin, and had an opportunity to screen Temple’s movie, “Temple Grandin.” They attended other events including tours of local farms and area attractions.

“As the generation of farmers who is raising the next generation – we are all busy at home – but we need to make time for what is important. I see participation in Farmers Union as a way to protect our family farm’s legacy. That’s why I got involved in Farmers Union. It’s not for me. It’s for the next generation.”

Taylor Sumption, Frederick Farmer “This was a great opportunity to hear from national speakers and learn about the direction their organizations are headed so that we have an idea of what we should expect for the upcoming year,” says Matt Sibley, SDFU Legislative Specialist.

When it comes to policy, Sibley says South Dakota Farmers Union is in alignment with the national organization’s policy. He adds that National Convention provided an excellent opportunity for one-onone discussions with NFU staff. “The National President and staff were accessible; anyone could chat with them about issues in their state.”

As for overall topics of national concern, in addition to low

commodity prices, Sombke says that TPP was a special order of business. “This trade agreement is tailored after the Korean Trade Agreement which showed a loss of almost $13 billion in trade deficit in its first month,” Sombke says. “This is yet another reason all trade should be negotiated and receive Congressional approval.”

Karla Hofhenke, SDFU Executive Director, adds that RFS and COOL continue to be hot topics. “We are all encouraging our Congressional Representatives to leave COOL alone – and keeping an eye on what the final RFS ruling will be.

This was the first time Frederick farmers, Taylor and Cassie Sumption, attended the National Convention. Taylor says the format is similar to South Dakota’s Convention, only larger. He encourages more young South Dakota Farmers Union members to attend next year.

“This is our opportunity to unify our voice and get our message across for the future of agriculture in our state and nation,” Taylor says. “As the generation of farmers who is raising the next generation – we are all busy at home – but we need to make time for what is important. I see participation in Farmers Union as a way to protect our family farm’s legacy. That’s why Cassie and I got involved in Farmers Union. It’s not for us. It’s for the next generation.”

As members of the Farmers Union Enterprise Couple’s Leadership Program, Taylor and Cassie were also attending Enterprise sessions held in conjunction with the convention. To learn about this session, visit page 3.

PAGE 1 PHOTO CAPTION: Twenty-seven South Dakota Farmers Union members made the journey to Wichita, Kan. for the 113th National Farmers Union Anniversary Convention. Front row, left to right: Chelsie Beyl, Alexandra Waldner, Kiana Brockel, Audrey Keierleber, Dasia Tolsma, Jason Hanson. Second row: Doug Sombke, Franklin Olson, JoAnne Olson, Lynn Frey, Ashton Reedy, Tyana Gottsleben, Bonnie Geyer, Terry Sestak, Karla Hofhenke. Back row: Taylor Sumption, Lorrie Hanson, Wayne Soren, Matt Sibley, Joel Keierleber, Larry Birgen, Dayton Trujillo, Alexandra Farber, Chris Nemec, Tyler Novak.

Cooperative Highlight: Sioux Valley Cooperative

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rowth and efficiency is essential to Sioux Valley Cooperative meeting its members’ needs, says CEO Jared Landmark.

“In order for Sioux Valley Cooperative to be the helpful partner we hope to be to the members and communities we serve, we need to continually expand and develop efficiencies. Nothing stands still. If you’re not growing, you’re dead,” Landmark says.

Established in 1956 to serve the farmers and communities of Northeast South Dakota, Sioux Valley Cooperative has grown through a merger, expansion and technological advancements.

“We have implemented more technology throughout our business structure,” Landmark says. “Our board and leadership team works to plan ahead and develop strategies to anticipate what our members’ needs will be into the future so

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we are prepared to meet those needs.”

He points to the bulk fuel and home heating side of the business as an example.

To increase delivery speed and efficiency, the cooperative uses tools to map routes.

Technology also helps monitor tanks remotely.

“These tools increase efficiencies not only for Jared Landmark (second from left), stands with his board members our drivers but also for during a recent Sioux Valley Cooperative Annual Meeting. our customers.”

In 2014, Sioux Valley Cooperative ended the year with $47 that if we are financially healthy, this cooperative contributes to the economic million in sales and paid out $1.3 million in health of the communities we serve.” patronage. “This cooperative has a long history of retiring equities. We understand

UNION FARMER

APRIL 2015

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UNION FARMER Secretary Vilsack Announces $97 Million to Expand Access to Support Farmers Markets, Farm to School Efforts and Rural Economies while Expanding Risk Management Tools for Specialty Crops, Limited-Resource Farmers ~ Says Congress Needs to Leave the RFS Alone

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.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced $97 million in programs to support the continued development of farmers markets, farm to school efforts and rural economies and will also expand risk management tools for specialty crops and limited-resource farmers.

“Increasing market opportunities for local food producers is a sound investment in America’s rural economies, while also increasing access to healthy food for our nation’s families,” Vilsack told the more than 470 attendees at the 113th anniversary national convention of the National Farmers Union (NFU) in Wichita, Kansas.

“There are over 400 school systems in this country that are purchasing locally and this is a tremendous opportunity to help rebuild the rural economy,” said Vilsack, the 30th Secretary of Agriculture. He noted that the 2012 Census of Agriculture indicated more than 160,000 farmers and ranchers nationwide are tapping into growing consumer demand by selling their products locally.

“Consumer demand for local, healthy food is skyrocketing in schools, hospitals and wholesalers. These grant opportunities allow farmers and ranchers to meet this demand and feed our nation’s kids.”

Vilsack, who is a member of the Iowa Farmers Union, said that NFU was fortunate to have strong leadership in the nation’s capital and had been very successful in reminding those in Washington about the value of family farms. “Farmers Union leaders are on top of things. They are passionate, persistent and relentless in getting their message out to have policies and programs to support family farmers and ranchers. “ Vilsack pointed out that the farm to school movement and other innovative approaches to directly marketing fresh healthy food to consumers was a “vibrant growth area that is drawing young people back to rural communities, generating jobs and improving quality of life in rural communities,” and has been a priority for USDA over the last few years.

For the nation’s specialty crop farmers, beginning farmers and limited-resource

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producers who have lacked adequate risk management tools for generations, Secretary Vilsack also announced changes in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) to help increase access to much-needed resources. “The Farm Bill is focused on making sure the next generation of farmers gets the help they need,” allowing new farmers to pay lower premium costs when starting up.

NFU President Roger Johnson praised the additional funds, noting, “the Secretary has been a very good friend to family farmers and ranchers and these new investments in rural America will pay off in spades.”

Vilsack once again noted that he remains a strong advocate of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “I love the RFS – I’m for RFS,” he said. “It’s taken a long time in part because the market is fluctuating so dramatically.”

“We need to make sure Congress doesn’t

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do anything to damage it or repeal it or make it difficult to use. We need to be advocates, spokespeople for this industry. We need to go out and tell folks this is the right thing to do,” he said.

Vilsack urged the crowd to continue to educate the public about the potential of weaning the nation from foreign oil imports and highlighting the potential of renewable fuels. He pointed to areas of the economy, like the military, that were converting to home grown fuels. “Navy is starting to look at renewable fuels. I am optimistic about this.

We need to be advocates for this industry.

We don’t want to lose this amazing marketing opportunity.”

“Secretary Vilsack has left behind a lasting legacy of commitment to agriculture and has helped plant the seeds of future prosperity that will benefit America’s family farmers and ranchers for generations,” said Johnson. Courtesy of Natl. Farmers Union

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER On the Road with South Dakota Farmers Union This Spring

The 2015 REAL class visited the St. Francis House in Sioux Falls and volunteered their time to cook supper and prepare lunches. Speakers during this session of REAL included: Geri Ann Eide, who presented on Parliamentary procedure and how to conduct a meeting; Ron Slaba, who spoke on the Duties and Responsibility of being a board member; and Malcom Chapman who presented on The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership.

Team Up To Safety Quiz Bowl, sponsored by SDFU, was held during the 2015 State FFA Convention this April in Brookings. Pictured here is the team from the Deuel FFA Chapter. They are one of eight teams who will participate in the final competition during the S.D. State Fair.

Sioux Valley Cooperative hosted its annual meeting in March. Board of Directors pictured here.

Board member Joel Keierleber visits with General Manager, Ken Dooley, during the Rosebud Farmers Union Cooperative’s Annual Meeting.

Deuel County Farmers Union Oil Company hosted its 79th annual meeting in March. The cooperative, which does business as Deuel County Cenex, finished the 2014 fiscal year with $20 million in sales and paid out $643,884 in patronage.

Harlan and Cleo Olerud (pictured here) won a TV from Farmers Union.

SDFU hosted a booth at Ag Day at the Washington Pavilion on March 20-21.

The winner of the doorprize was Brooklyn Harpe, Sioux Falls. Brooklyn won a day pass to the Sertoma Butterfly House and Marine Cove, the Great Plains Zoo and Chuck E Cheese’s.

WWW.SDFU.ORG

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17

UNION FARMER 2015 Legislative Session Wrap-Up

T

he halls of the Capitol have become progressively quieter as the 90th Legislative Session has come to a close.

Following the 2015 session, South Dakota Farmers Union celebrates a number of successes, including legislation addressing concerns voiced by Farmers Union members at the most recent annual convention.

Included in this legislation is Senate Bill 2 (SB 2).

SB 2 addressed water drainage issues that are affecting producers, including SDFU members, in the eastern half of South Dakota.

The bill establishes new natural water basin districts that are drawn based on the geographical features of the area. Also included in the legislation is the creation of an oversight taskforce and a pilot project in the Red River and Minnesota River Basin Natural Resource District.

SDFU strongly supported this legislation. It successfully passed both houses and was signed by the Governor. “SB 2 is a great launching point and meets our members’ call to action at our annual convention last November,” said Doug Sombke, SDFU President.

SB 131: An SDFU policy addition concerning stray voltage was also addressed during the legislative session with Senate Bill 131 (SB 131). This legislation established standards relating to stray voltage disputes.

SB 131 places accountability on both the dairy producer and the utility in resolving conflicts. The standards presented in the bill nearly mirror those used by many dairy states in the region. SDFU strongly supported SB 131. The bill unanimously passed both houses and was signed by the governor.

What this bill does is establish widely accepted scientific standards and holds all parties accountable. It gives everyone a fair shake and that is what SDFU is all about.

While SDFU was successful in many areas, symptoms of a broken system were evident throughout the 90th Legislative Session.

One major symptom is the lack of revenue sources being utilized by the state of South Dakota. We are either taxed on the land that we own or the goods that we purchase. Either way it is all coming out of our pockets.

Other revenue alternatives do exist, and one was presented by Senator Bernie Hunhoff to the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Senator Hunhoff proposed a corporate profits fee to generate revenue for the purpose of enhancing education. This fee

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would impose a level of taxation, determined by the legislature, on South Dakota corporations exceeding a predetermined level of profit. However, this bill received very little discussion in committee and failed to make it to the Senate floor as it was deferred until the 41st day.

It is important to note that this legislation, as a joint resolution, would not have been final upon its passage. Rather, it would have allowed and required the voters to decide on the issue.

However, no symptom was more evident than the disregard for voters and the political process. This became clear through multiple pieces of legislation throughout the session.

Senate Bill 177: South Dakota legislators ignored the message voters sent last November by passing a new youth minimum wage with SB 177.

“Too often voters are disregarded in the name of partisan politics.We need to get the partisan biases out of the process so voters can have their voices heard.”

Matt Sibley, SDFU Legislative Specialist The legislation creates a separate, lower wage for workers under the age of 18. This comes after the voters voted 55 percent to 45 percent to increase minimum wage statewide.

Senate Bill 166: Legislators also attempted to make it more difficult for the citizens of South Dakota to have their voices heard with the proposal of SB 166.

SB 166 attempted to increase the number of petition signatures necessary for ballot initiatives. Fortunately, the bill was tabled before it gained any traction.

House Bill 1201: Senators and Representatives diminished the political process through the passage of HB 1201.

HB 1201 reduces the number of votes required for special use permitting on planning and zoning boards from a super majority (2/3 vote) to a simple majority (1/2

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vote). Going even further, the bill reduces the vote requirement from its current format of all board members to only those present and voting.

Hypothetically, if two members of a fivemember board are absent, choose to abstain, or a combination of the two, then the permit can be issued by only two members of the board.

House Joint Resolution 1004: Members of the House State Affairs Committee swept the concerns of SDFU members and South Dakota citizens aside when it deferred House Joint Resolution 1004 to the 41st day.

HJR 1004 established a new process for legislative redistricting in South Dakota.

Currently the language is very ambiguous pertaining to the creation of legislative district maps. The language proposed by Representative Peggy Gibson (D) in HJR 1004 would have clarified that process while also providing a check on legislative authority.

Legislative Redistricting Reform in 2016 Ultimately, the political landscape in Pierre is worrisome. Legislators attempt to control their own pay scale and currently draw their own legislative districts.

“We need a system that provides better representation for voters. Legislators should not choose their voters; voters should choose their legislators,” Sombke said.

This session, they even undermined a voter initiative by establishing a new youth minimum wage with Senate Bill 177. “Too often voters are disregarded in the name of partisan politics. We need to get the partisan biases out of the process so voters can have their voices heard,” said Sibley.

Too often voters are disregarded in the name of partisan politics. We need to get the partisan biases out of the process so voters can have their voices heard.

If you have any questions regarding this year’s legislative session, contact me at 605352-6761 ext. 122 or by email at msibley@sdfu.org. By Matt Sibley, SDFU Legislative Specialist

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER SOUTH DAKOTA LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD Each year, South Dakota Farmers Union crafts its Legislative Scorecard in an attempt to educate members about some of the legislation the organization worked on throughout the recent legislative session and give you an idea where lawmakers stand on the bills important to you.

We hope this information proves to be valuable to you as a citizen and voter. Please read through the bills which were selected for this year’s scorecard and find the corresponding votes of your lawmakers on the pages that follow.

The scores were determined based on the votes each lawmaker cast. If they were absent for a vote, their absence will not be reflected on the legislator’s overall score. Some of the legislation was voted on and defeated in committee, so not all lawmakers voted on every piece of legislation chosen for the scorecard.

Senate Bill 2Senate Bill 2 addresses water drainage issues prevalent in the eastern half of South Dakota. The legislation, in its amended form, creates 9 water basin districts, establishes an oversight taskforce to oversee the districts and their creation, and establishes a pilot project in the Red River and Minnesota River Basin Natural Resource District.

It is important to note that in its current form, the districts have no taxing authority. This issue was a special order of business at the most recent convention and as such, SDFU supported this legislation. It passed both houses and was signed by the governor.

Senate Bill 3Senate Bill 3 addresses water drainage disputes by establishing a form of mediation under the Department of Agriculture. The process laid out in the bill is expected to be less costly than the burden of litigation under the current system. SDFU supported this legislation and it passed both houses and was signed by the governor.

have been responsible for establishing the rate of taxation. SDFU supported this legislation, however the bill failed to make it out of committee and was deferred to the 41st day.

House Bill 1201House Bill 1201 reduces the number of votes necessary to receive a special use permit from your planning and zoning board. The bill reduces the requirement of a supermajority (2/3 vote) to a simple majority (more than ½). The bill goes even further and designates that the vote count will be based off of members present and voting, rather than the current format, off of all board members. What this means is that hypothetically, if you have a 5 member board and 1 is gone and 1 chooses to abstain from voting, then 2 people (2/3 of members present and voting) can decide to issue a special use permit.

SDFU did not support this legislation, however it passed both houses and was signed by the governor.

House Bill 1207Senate Bill 5Senate Bill 5 revised certain provisions concerning the assessment and taxation of property. The legislation eliminated the classification of nonagricultural acreage property. SDFU supported this legislation and it passed both houses and was signed by the governor.

House Bill 1216-

Senate Bill 131Senate Bill 131 establishes standards regarding stray electrical current and voltage. The bill further attempts to establish accountability for both the dairy producer and the utility to reach a resolution on concerns of stray voltage. The Public Utilities Commission will have a significant role in mediating disputes between the two parties. This issue was addressed in SDFU policy at the most recent convention and as such SDFU supported this legislation. It passed both houses and was signed by the governor.

Senate Joint Resolution 2Senate Joint Resolution 2 attempted to put on the ballot for voter approval, a corporate profits tax on corporations in South Dakota for the purposes of enhancing education. The tax would not apply to any insurance company subject to a tax on gross premiums or a financial institution subject to the bank franchise tax. The Legislature would

WWW.SDFU.ORG

House Bill 1207 attempted to revise the school district pension fund, as well as capital outlay fund tax levies, in order to provide property tax opt-out procedures for the capital outlay levy. This bill also increased the per student allocation for schools. SDFU supported this legislation, however the bill was deferred until the 41st day.

House Bill 1216 attempted to remove the property tax cap for local governments, excluding school districts. This position was established in SDFU policy at the most recent convention and as such SDFU supported the legislation. However, the legislation failed on the House floor, never making it to the Senate.

House Joint Resolution 1004House Joint Resolution 1004 attempted to put on the ballot for voter approval a new method for legislative redistricting. The new method would include the creation of a redistricting commission that would draw district maps based on population data after each census.

This issue was addressed as a special order of business at the most recent convention and SDFU supported this legislation. However, the legislation failed to make it out of committee and was deferred until the 41st day.

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UNION FARMER Y = Legislator Supported Legislation N = Legislator Did Not Support E = Excused A ‘Y’ vote does not necessarily mean they voted ‘Yes’ during the committee or floor vote.

An ‘N’ vote does not necessarily mean a lawmaker voted ‘No.’ Some Yes votes were meant to defeat measures. Some No votes were meant to keep from defeating a measure.

STATE SENATE Senator

Bradford Brown Buhl O'Donnell Cammack Curd Ewing Frerichs Greenfield, B Haggar, J Haverly Heineman, P Heinert Holien Hunhoff Jensen, P Lederman Monroe Novstrup, D Olson Omdahl Otten, E Parsley Peters Peterson, J Rampelberg Rave Rusch Soholt Solano Sutton Tidemann Tieszen Van Gerpen Vehle White TOTAL

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

SDFU Stance on Motion to Defer (N)

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (N)

Disctrict

Senate Vote SB 2

Senate Vote SB 3

Senate Vote SB5

Senate Vote SB131

Committee Vote SJR 1004

Senate Vote HB1201

Alignment with SDFU (%)

27 23 15 29 12 31 1 2 10 35 13 26 5 18 33 16 24 3 28 11 6 8 9 4 30 25 17 14 32 21 7 34 19 20 22

Y N Y N N N Y E N Y Y Y N Y N N N N N Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y E

Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E

N Y N Y Y Y N N N Y Y N Y N E Y Y Y Y Y E N Y N Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N Y Y

100% 50% 100% 60% 50% 60% 100% 100% 75% 80% 80% 100% 50% 100% 75% 33% 60% 60% 60% 80% 80% 100% 80% 100% 80% 50% 80% 67% 67% 100% 80% 80% 80% 80% 67%

20-12

32-2

35-0

31-0

Dallas Tonsager Appointed to serve on Farm Credit Administration Board The Senate confirmed the nominations of Jeffery Hall and Dallas Tonsager to serve on the Farm Credit Administration board, announced Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and ranking member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.

“The Farm Credit System supports rural communities in all corners of the country,” said Stabenow. “I look forward to working with both Mr. Tonsager and Mr. Hall – and the entire Farm Credit System – as we work to implement policies that grow the farm sector, support rural businesses, get new and beginning farmers and ranchers on their feet, and bolster rural America.”

FCA regulates and examines banks, associations, and other entities within the Farm Credit System – including Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac). FCA is governed by a three-person board, with members serving six-year terms. They may not be reappointed after serving full terms.

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UNION FARMER

Y

Y N Y

Y

Y Y Y N

7-2

22-11

Calling All Students!

Scholarship Season is Here!

Supporting our youth in achieving success through scholarship is a strong focus of Farmers Union.

If you or someone you love is ready to pursue a postsecondary education, encourage them to check out available scholarships on our website, www.sdfu.org

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER STATE HOUSE Representative

Anderson Bartling Beal Bolin Bordeaux Brunner Campbell Conzet Craig Cronin Deutsch DiSanto Dryden Duvall Feickert Gibson Gosch Greenfield, L Haggar, D Harrison Haugaard Hawks Hawley Heinemann, L Hickey Holmes Hunhoff, J Hunt Jensen, A Johns Kaiser Killer Kirschman Klumb Langer Latterell Marty May McCleerey Mickelson Munsterman Novstrup, A Otten Partridge Peterson, K Qualm Rasmussen Ring Romkema Rounds Rozum Russell Schaefer Schoenbeck Schoenfish Schrempp Sly Soli Solum Stalzer Stevens Tulson Verchio Werner Westra Wiik Willadsen Wink Wollmann Zikmund TOTAL

WWW.SDFU.ORG

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

Disctrict

House Vote SB 2

House Vote SB 3

House Vote SB5 House Vote SB131

16 21 12 16 26A 29 35 32 33 23 4 35 34 24 1 22 32 2 10 23 10 9 7 8 9 14 18 25 12 31 3 27 15 20 25 6 28B 27 1 13 7 3 6 34 19 21 17 17 31 24 20 30 26B 5 19 28A 33 15 5 11 18 2 30 22 13 4 11 29 8 14

Y Y N Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N N Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y N Y 51-18

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 67-1

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y E Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y 62-0

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

SDFU Stance on Motion to Defer (N)

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (N)

SDFU Stance on Motion to Defer (N)

SDFU Stance on Due Pass Vote (Y)

Commmittee Vote HJR 1004

House Vote HB1201

Committee Vote HB1207

House Vote HB 1216

Alignment with SDFU (%)

N Y N N Y N N N N N N N N N Y Y N Y N N N Y Y N Y N N N N N Y Y Y N N N N Y Y N N Y N N N N Y Y N N N N N N Y Y N Y Y N N Y E N N N E N Y N 22-46

67% 88% 57% 57% 100% 67% 50% 60% 60% 80% 50% 50% 60% 71% 100% 100% 57% 100% 63% 67% 50% 100% 86% 67% 80% 67% 67% 67% 67% 67% 83% 83% 86% 67% 57% 71% 33% 71% 83% 57% 50% 57% 60% 67% 67% 60% 86% 100% 67% 50% 71% 43% 50% 67% 83% 100% 67% 100% 63% 67% 57% 83% 60% 60% 50% 71% 50% 57% 67% 67%

Y Y Y Y E Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y E Y Y Y Y Y 67-0

UNION FARMER

N Y

Y Y

N

Y

Y Y

Y Y E Y

Y

10-2

Y N Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y N Y Y Y E Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y Y N Y N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y Y Y Y Y N Y N Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 52-17

Y N

N

N

Y Y

Y Y

Y

Y

N Y

N

N Y

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21

UNION FARMER Roger Johnson

National Farmers Union President

T

he National Farmers Union 113th Anniversary Convention hosted more than 450 attendees in Wichita, Kansas, March 14-17.

The 2015 convention, “Driving the Future of Agriculture,” featured farm safety, health and agricultural best practices breakout sessions, NFU President Roger Johnson’s State of the Farmers Union address and policy discussions on Countryof-Origin Labeling, the Renewable Fuel Standard, and proposed trade agreements.

Delegates from each state Farmers Union organization shaped the direction of the national family farm organization for the next year, through grassroots policy development. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Gina McCarthy; and Dr. Mary Temple Grandin also addressed convention attendees.

“National Farmers Union’s convention is our most important event of the year,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “It is the time for our members to come together to determine NFU’s policy for the next 12 months, participate in exciting and informative breakout sessions and tours, hear from top officials in the agriculture industry, and show support for the organization’s education programs.”

The 2016 National Convention will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, March 5-8.

RFS Continues to be Delayed, Attacked The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which requires that a minimum of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel be blended into the U.S. transportation fuel supply by 2022, has proven extremely beneficial to the U.S. economy.

The RFS saves American consumers $100 billion per year at the pump and has drastically reduced the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Thus far, the majority of renewable fuel is derived from corn-based ethanol, which has significantly increased the price of corn and other commodities.

This has also been an efficient process, as a byproduct of ethanol production is Distiller’s Dried Grains (DDGs), used as a feed source

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for the cattle and poultry industries.

The Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015 aims to eliminate corn-derived ethanol as an option in reaching the RFS volume obligations. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson expressed the organization’s concerns with the proposed act by emphasizing the role corn-based ethanol has played in bringing “a level of prosperity and hope that rural Americans have not seen in generations.”

The bill would not only be a step backward for U.S. agriculture, but also a major setback to the environment and the ability of the U.S. to manage its carbon emissions. NFU has urged Congress to reject that policy and continue to embrace the vision of a robust renewable fuels industry as a component of the nation’s overall energy portfolio. NFU also continues to press EPA to set target levels for 2014-2016.

NFU Opposes Trade Promotion Authority National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson voiced the organization’s opposition to trade promotion authority, or “fast track,” in a recent letter to members of Congress. NFU’s major concerns with fast track include lack of transparency, opportunity for currency manipulation, and the nation’s enormous, and growing, trade deficit.

Trade promotion authority would grant President Obama the power to enter into trade agreements without any review or input from those elected to represent the interests of the American public - the members of Congress. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, which have taken place behind closed doors (and with little input from Congress), should serve as a glimpse into the future, if trade promotion authority is granted. Several countries involved in the TPP negotiations are known currency manipulators, thus the reason for NFU’s concern. Currency manipulation played a significant role in creating the 2013 U.S.-Japan trade deficit of $80 billion, which resulted in the elimination of nearly 900,000 U.S. jobs.

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NFU believes all future trade agreements, including TPP, should contain provisions addressing currency manipulation. Finally, while the agriculture sector generally fares well in trade agreements, NFU’s members are more concerned with the overall trade deficit, which reached $505 billion in 2014 - nearly 3 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. National Farmers Union advocates for the prosperity of the nation’s economy, and is therefore strongly opposed to trade promotion authority.

Restoring Relations With Cuba National Farmers Union has voiced its desire many times to Congress to see the 50year long trade embargo on Cuba lifted, which would open new markets for U.S. agriculture products. In January, NFU joined other members of the U.S. food and agriculture community in the launch of the new U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC), with the common goal of reestablishing normalized trade relations with Cuba.

Cuba’s close proximity, 90 miles, and relatively large population, 11 million, make it an optimal location for U.S. exports. While the U.S. sold nearly $349 million in agricultural goods to Cuba in 2014, current trade restrictions prevent this figure from reaching its full potential. On February 12, a bipartisan group of senators addressed these issues by introducing the Freedom to Export to Cuba Act of 2015, a bill that would end the embargo. The bill, which was spearheaded by Senators Amy Klobuchar, DMinn.; Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.; Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.; Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.; Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; and Dick Durbin, D-Ill. would eliminate both the financial and logistical barriers to trade, and would pave the way for increased exports of U.S. goods, including farm commodities. This would allow U.S. markets greater access to Cuba’s $1.7 billion market and greatly increase the opportunities to prosperity for private Cuban citizens. Contributed by Natl.

Farmers Union, March 3, 2015

WWW.SDFU.ORG

From the President....

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U.S. Trade Agreements Need to be Good for All Americans Recently, an op-ed article written by NFU President, Roger Johnson, was published in The Hill magazine, a Washington, D.C., based publication. In this op-ed piece, Johnson addressed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement and TPA, or Fast Track, that our United States Trade Representative (USTR) and Congress are considering for 2015.

This is an important issue for family farmers and all American families.

The U.S. has entered into many trade agreements in an attempt to promote economic growth, as well as eliminate trade and investment barriers. However, these trade agreements have resulted in enormous U.S. trade deficits over the past 41 years.

All trade agreements should have a specific goal, which is to reduce the U.S. trade deficit and balance trade inflows and outflows - not just increase total trade flows.

In 2013, the U.S. exported approximately $1.4 trillion worth of goods, with agriculture representing 10 percent of total exports (USDA Economic Research Service (ERS)). In that same year, the U.S. had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $16.8 trillion (Trade Economic). According to the World Bank, the U.S. agriculture industry contributed about $201.6 billion.

Did you know, since 1960, U.S. agricultural exports have been greater than U.S. agricultural imports by a surplus of $39 billion? This has helped counter the enormous U.S. non-agricultural trade deficit (USDA ERS). In 2014, the U.S. trade deficit increased to $505 billion, representing 3 percent of GDP and slowing growth for the overall economy. What caused this, you may ask? Several FREE trade agreements, specifically including the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the U.S.Korea Trade Agreement. According to the USTR, all this has taken place since the U.S. joined the World Trade Organization and entered trade agreements with 20 other countries.

The U.S. entered these FREE trade agreements only to see our trade deficit increase, instead of promoting economic growth.

Traditionally, FREE trade agreements focus on eliminating trade quotas and tariffs. Now, trade agreements focus on preempting domestic laws, such as

WWW.SDFU.ORG

labor, public health, environmental, taxing and zoning law.

Several countries involved in the TPP are known currency manipulators, including Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.

Doug Sombke Recent reports note SDFU President that the U.S.-Japan trade deficit reached nearly $80 billion in 2013 and current manipulation is the most significant cause of the deficit. The Economic Policy Institute estimates this trade deficit with Japan resulted in elimination of 896,600 U.S. jobs in nearly every Congressional district.

As the U.S. currently negotiates the TPP, an agreement with 11 countries in the AsiaPacific region, considering its expansive scope, there is a lack of transparency in the negotiations.

That being said, Congress is considering granting the President Trade Promotion Authority (Fast Track), which will remove an important constitutional check on the President’s power to negotiate trade agreements. Fast Track allows the President to negotiate these agreements in secret and then present them to Congress for an up or down vote, forbidding any or all amendments.

With all the historic information we have on past trade agreements and the negative impact they have had on the U.S. economically, wouldn't you think before we sell out for FREE trade, we would concentrate on FAIR trade for a stronger America!?!

Making deals to increase trade sounds great for family farmers and ranchers on the surface. But, if our city cousins are losing jobs while their dollar decreases in value, what kind of future will we have as an American family?

It's time we put family before greed!

God bless all you do!

South Dakota

UNION FARMER

A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

South Dakota Union Farmer, ISSN 0745-8797, publishes ten times per calendar year, with issues printed in January, February, March, April, May/June, July/August, September, October, November and December. Copies are available for $3.00 per year (included with membership dues), and nonmembers annual subscription is $7.50. Advertising rate is $6.00/column inch. Periodical postage paid at Madison, S.D. POSTMASTER: Address changes to: SDFU, PO Box 1388, Huron, S.D. 57350-1388

Contact SDFU 888.734.8136 • 605.352.6761 1410 Dakota Avenue South, PO Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350 www.sdfu.org sdfu@sdfu.org

SDFU State Office Staff Karla Hofhenke.......ext. 114 Executive Director Huron Matt Sibley .............ext. 122 Legislative Specialist Huron

Kecia Beranek...............ext. 113 Communications Specialist Miller

Bonnie Geyer..........ext. 125 Education Director Huron

Luanne Thompson.......ext. 111 Administrative Assistant Virgil

Pam Evenson ..........ext. 116 Administrative Assistant Doland

Erin Wilcox ...................ext. 118 Rural Development Coordinator Alpena

SDFU Board of Directors Doug Sombke.........President Groton Wayne Soren..........Vice Pres.

Lake Preston Terry Sestak..............District I Tabor Jim Wahle ................District II Salem Franklin Olson ........District III Pierpont

Contact NFU

Joel Keierleber .......District IV Colome Dallis Basel ..............District V Union Center Lynn Frey................District VI Lemmon Chad Johnson .......District VII Groton

National Farmers Union 20 F Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001

Roger Johnson, President ~ Donn Teske, Vice President Doug Peterson, Secretary ~ John Hansen, Treasurer 202.554.1600 www.nfu.org

The South Dakota Union Farmer is published 10 times per calendar year.

Karla Hofhenke, Publisher Lura Roti, Editor ~ Jodie Fenske, Copy Editor Tri-State Graphics, Layout and Design

Doug Sombke, President South Dakota Farmers Union

UNION FARMER

All information for publication must be submitted by the 15th of the month. You may submit items by mail to the State Office, P.O. Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350 or email items to: sdfu@sdfu.org

APRIL 2015

23

Aberdeen Aberdeen Bison Bison Britton Britton Brookings Brookings Brookings Buffalo Clark Doland Doland Faulkton Huron Irene Irene Kadoka Lemmon Lemmon Marion

Darrell Kessler J.R. Johnson Alan Voller Karen Voller Tom Farber Terry Lynde Larry Sutton Nathan Kirby Heidi Fields Jim Erk Lon Reidburn Bonnie Wagner Mark Rozell Jason Lee Blaine Anderson Brendon Hansen Brian Hansen Donna Enders Brad Derschan Carrie Derschan Kevin Albrecht

229-3945 725-3003 393-7839 244-7431 448-5150 448-5150 692-6735 692-6735 881-2830 375-3311 532-3299 635-6511 635-6511 598-6570 352-2130 263-2121 263-2121 837-2144 374-3462 374-3462 941-0650

Menno Mitchell Mitchell Mitchell Mitchell Piedmont Pierre Rapid City Rapid City Rapid City Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Sisseton Spearfish Sturgis Watertown Webster Webster Winner Yankton

Gary Schelske Richard Hofer Nathan Hofer Andrew Mefferd Jessica Meffered Ce Faulkner Gary Ray Black Hills Agency Kasey Keller Lewis Agency Betsy Weber Brian Hermsen Jeff Nord Erica Steiner Megan Schoon Scott Sabers Todd Nichols Debbie Baumgarn Larry Baumgarn Jeremy Clay James Murphy

387-5555 996-9651 996-9651 222-7979 290-3852 737-0463 224-4123 342-5555 343-4213 342-3585 338-5302 338-5302 338-5302 698-7316 642-8870 347-4507 886-9683 345-2640 345-2640 842-1556 664-2121