May/June Union Farmer

South Dakota

VOLUME XCVIII, NO. 5

HURON, SD

MAY/JUNE 2015

UNION FARMER A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

Camp Season Begins!

Jr REAL

Farm Safety Quiz Bowl

Page 11

Page 12

Page 16

South Dakota Farmers Union Members Advocate for COOL in D.C.

South Dakota Farmers Union Celebrates the Kolousek Farm Family

S

Doug Sombke, SDFU President; Karla Hofhenke, SDFU Executive Director; Sen. John Thune; Matt Sibley, SDFU Legislative Specialist; Dick Kolousek, SDFU member; Chad Johnson, SDFU Board member; and Janet Kolousek, SDFU member.

A

fourth-generation South Dakota cattle producer, Dick Kolousek, has spent his life’s career raising quality beef cattle.

He and his son, Scott, operate a 600-head Angus/Hereford cow/calf herd and backgrounding operation near Wessington Springs.

This May, Dick left the calving to Scott for a few days and he, along with his wife, Janet, joined South Dakota Farmers Union staff and about 60 farmers and ranchers from across the country as part of National Farmers Union’s special Spring Fly-In to show their unwavering support for Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL).

“Consumers need to know where their food comes from. COOL is Continued on Page 9

Tee Up for Youth!

Join us for the Farmers Union Foundation Open WHEN: June 16, 2015 WHERE: Lakeview Golf Course, Mitchell (3300 N Ohlman St., Mitchell) DETAILS: The tournament will be a four-person, best ball format.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. (CDT) Tee off is at 9 a.m. All proceeds will support Farmers Union Youth Programming.

Learn more on page 3.

hadowing an engineer for a few days his sophomore year of college was all the exposure Scott Kolousek needed to realize he would be happier building a career on his family’s Wessington Springs cattle and crop farm.

“That experience saved me a lot of time pursuing the wrong degree. I quickly figured out that I didn’t want an office job, so I switched degrees and graduated with a General Agriculture degree from South Dakota State University,” says the fifth Celebrating a century of service to South generation farmer.

His dad, Dick, also an Dakota's farm and ranch families, SDSU graduate, can relate. In throughout 2015, South Dakota Farmers 1976, he returned to farm Union will highlight members who farm or with his dad, Pete, and ranch with their families each month. For the months of May & June, South Dakota brother, Raymond. “I enjoy Farmers Union features the Kolousek family, the independence farming (pictured here) who raise cattle and farm provides. I’m able to make near Wessington Springs. my own decisions, work in the fresh air and watch crops and calves grow – this has been a good career for me - so much better than an office job.”

In 2000, Dick’s father passed away, and in 2002, brain cancer took Raymond, leaving Dick to buy out Raymond’s wife’s shares in the family farm corporation and take over farming on his own with Scott’s help. In 2010, Dick and his wife, Janet, and Scott and his wife, Amber, formed a new family farm corporation.

“It’s been wonderful having Scott and Amber join our family farm.

If we don’t have smart, hard-working young people come back to our communities, there really isn’t any hope to sustain them,’” recalls Scott’s mom, Janet.

Today, the Kolouseks operate a 600-head Angus/Hereford cow/calf herd and backgrounding operation. The family utilizes intensive grazing to manage 5,700 acres of rangeland. They raise oats, winter wheat, alfalfa and grass hay on an additional 1,300 acres of farmland, and do some custom farming and hay moving to supplement their machinery budget.

To learn more about the Kolousek family farm, turn to page 10.

For more photos, visit www.sdfu.org. by Lura Roti, for SDFU

UNION FARMER 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.

COOK’S CORNER

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.

Rhubarb-Cherry Crunch

Note: I love making this in the spring when the rhubarb is fresh from the garden!

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

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

2

MAY/JUNE 2015

Submitted by: Pam Evenson, SDFU Admin. Asst.

1 c. quick oatmeal 1 c. flour Pinch of salt 1 c. brown sugar ½ c. butter Mix all ingredients together.

Press half into a 9 x 13 pan.

Around the State with South Dakota Farmers Union Thank You South Dakota Farmers Union Dear SDFU, On behalf of Kingsbury Electric Cooperative, Inc., I wanted to take a second to formally thank you for the generous donation that SD Farmers Union gave as a door prize for our 2015 Kingsbury Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting. Our 2015 Annual Meeting was a success, in part due to your gracious donation.

Thank you for your generosity.

Sincerely, Jim Kruse, Kingsbury Electric Cooperative, Inc. ~~~~~ Dear Farmers Union, Thank you for putting on the Quiz Bowl and your continued support of FFA. Thanks again, Hannah Flatt, Brady Swier, Mercades Genzler, Joseph Mangin Gettysburg FFA Chapter

UNION FARMER

Filling: 4 c. diced rhubarb 1 tsp. almond flavoring 1 c. sugar 1 can cherry pie filling 1 c. water 2 T. cornstarch ½ c. chopped nuts (optional) Spread the rhubarb on top of the crust. Boil the sugar, water and cornstarch until thick. Add almond flavoring and pie filling. Spoon this over the rhubarb. Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the top along with the chopped nuts. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

CONGRATULATIONS TO...

Matt and Maureen Birgen who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary June 2.

~ Departings ~

Leota Roth, age 81, of Mitchell, S.D. passed away Saturday, April 11, 2015.

Roth was a past Dist. 2 Education Director.

Elaine Tobin, age 73, of Aberdeen SD passed away Sunday May 31, 2015.

Tobin was a former State Education Director.

D D

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 SDFU CLIP AND SAVE CALENDAR JUNE 16 Foundation Golf Tournament, Mitchell 20 District II Meeting, Mitchell 24 SDHSRA Finals, Belle Fourche JULY 2 3 14-15 21-22

Farmers Market Event, Aberdeen State Office Closed State Board Meeting, Huron Young Producers, Huron

AUGUST 5 State Board Meeting, Huron 6 County Councilors Meeting 10-16 Brown County Fair, Aberdeen 17-20 Turner County Fair, Parker 18-20 Dakota Fest, Mitchell SEPTEMBER 2 Highmore/Harrold Jr. REAL, Highmore 3-7 SD State Fair 5 SDFU Day @ State Fair, Huron 7 State Office Closed 16-18 Washington D.C. Fly-In 21 Lake Preston/DeSmet Jr. REAL, DeSmet 22 Wolsey/Wess./Hitchcock/Tulare, Jr. REAL, Wolsey 23 Woonsocket, Sanborn Central/Wess.

Springs, Jr/ REAL, Woonsocket 24 Faulkton Jr. REAL, Faulkton OCTOBER 12 State Office Closed 29 Harding County Jr. REAL, Buffalo NOVEMBER 18-19 State Board Meeting, Huron 26-27 State Office Closed DECEMBER 9-10 State Convention, Huron 24-25 State Office Closed

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

WWW.SDFU.ORG

Golf Tournament Funds Leadership Education for Agriculture’s Next Generation

F

un and raising funds for the next generation of agricultural leaders is the focus of the 2015 Farmers Union Foundation Open Golf Tournament which will be held June 16 at the Lakeview Golf Course in Mitchell (3300 N Ohlman St). The tournament will be a four-person, best ball format. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

(CDT); tee off is at 9 a.m.

“Investing in rural youth is investing in the future of South Dakota’s number one industry,” said Jim Wahle, SDFU board member and the event’s organizer.

Wahle farms near Salem and serves as District 2 Farmers Union President. He hopes to raise $10,000 for Farmers Union leadership educational programming, which includes several leadership-focused activities designed specifically to provide South Dakota’s rural youth, ages 6 through 18, with leadership and life skills, as well as insight into South Dakota’s number one industry of agriculture.

More than 3,000 youth participate in Farmers Union educational programming each year. Youth like Keely Thompson, who grew up on a ranch near New Underwood.

If you were to meet 19-year-old Thompson today, you wouldn’t guess that the South Dakota State University Animal Science major, who is on the Dean’s List and is a member of the university’s honor society, Alpha Lambda Delta, was once a shy girl who was content to sit on the sidelines.

When asked what brought her out of her shell, Thompson doesn’t hesitate. “Farmers Union youth programs; they helped me break out of my shell, gave me social skills and gave me the confidence to speak in front of people,” Thompson says. “I’ve enjoyed all the opportunities it’s provided to me and now that I’m a camp counselor, I’m able to mentor younger kids.”

cooperative, I get my phone and internet service from a cooperative, I purchase most of my farm inputs from a cooperative, I buy my fuel from a cooperative and I sell most of my grain to a cooperative.”

To learn more about Farmers Union youth leadership programs, visit www.sdfu.org.

Wahle is currently looking for team and hole sponsors. To learn more, contact the state Farmers Union office at 605-352-6761 ext. 114 or khofhenke@sdfu.org.

Golf for rural youth Thompson, and rural youth like her, are the reason Wahle volunteers to organize the event.

“Along with leadership development, Farmers Union education programs also teach rural youth about the cooperatives which play an integral role in many rural communities,” Wahle says. “Those of us who live in rural South Dakota depend heavily upon cooperatives and it’s important our youth understand how they work. I bank at a

UNION FARMER

MAY/JUNE 2015

3

UNION FARMER Introducing 2015 Farmers Union Summer Interns

E

through Farmers Union. I’m excited to help campers develop confidence in their leadership skills,” he said.

“I used to be quiet, but now, because of the experience I have gained through Farmers Union, I am not afraid to speak in front of groups.”

Alyson Hauck will be a sophomore at South Dakota State University, pursuing degrees in Family & Consumer Sciences Education and a minor in Entrepreneurial Studies. Involved in Farmers Union Youth Programming from toddlerhood, thanks to her aunt, Bonnie Geyer’s, SDFU Education Director, influence, Hauck says she looked forward to serving as an SDFU intern. “I knew by the Get to know the 2015 time I was 8 that I wanted to be a summer Farmers Union Intern Team intern,” she explains. “This position is an incredible opportunity for me to give back Elizabeth Reddy returns for her second internship with Farmers to Farmers Union and continue my Union. A sophomore at Northern involvement in this organization.”

State University, Reddy is majoring Hauck says that her involvement in The 2015 S.D. Farmers Union summer intern team includes: in Psychology with minors in Farmers Union Youth Programming Front Row: Alyson Hauck, DeSmet; Tyler Novak, Yankton Sociology and Coaching. Although improved her leadership skills and Back Row: Myles Bialas, Dimock; Liz Reddy, Aberdeen Reddy grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, introduced her to some of her closest she attended South Dakota Farmers friends. “Farmers Union has helped me grow as a person and truly Union camp growing up because of family connections - her grandpa, mold me into the person I am today.” As a summer intern, she looks Dennis Plihal, is a member who farms near Tyndall and her aunt, forward to working with youth from across the state and helping Denise Mushitz, is the education director for Dist. 1. them enjoy a similar experience. “I enjoy working with youth – they “Farmers Union camp was my home away from home,” says are so open-minded and always seem to see the best in every Reddy. “I have had some of my best experiences there. At camp, situation. They are also at a stage of life where we as interns can serve everyone is like family.” as a positive example and role model for them.”

Reddy credits Farmers Union camp with her ability to balance a Myles Bialas grew up in Dimock and is a junior Agronomy major checkbook, speak publicly, and for many leadership skills she uses at South Dakota State University. Looking back on the experiences he today. She looks forward to providing similar experiences to the next gained through Farmers Union Youth Programming, Bialas says they generation of campers. “I want to provide a support system to youth, just like the support I received from going to camp. I am excited about had such a positive impact on his life. “Without Farmers Union, I helping them to become better leaders and learn more about Farmers would not have gotten to know the many great people I now call friends and would not have had the opportunities to gain experience Union.” in public speaking and leadership.”

Tyler Novak will be a freshman at Dakota State University As he looks forward to how he can remain involved in the pursuing a degree in Education. A fifth-generation farmer and a third generation Farmers Union member, Novak has been involved in organization, serving as an intern seemed like the best answer. “In Farmers Union youth programming since early childhood. His grandpa this role I look forward to traveling the great state of South Dakota is a founding member of the Yankton County Farmers Union and his and getting to work with Farmers Union members. These are the dad, Alvin Novak, is the current County President. “Farmers Union people who make time to ensure their county or town offers Farmers Youth Programs are like a second family to me. I strongly believe in Union camp for their youth.”

Bialas is also eager to teach campers about cooperatives, everything they teach us about cooperation and working together.” leadership and agriculture. “Just as the base of the Farmers Union Novak is excited about working with youth during this summer’s internship. “I am the person I am today because of the skills I gained triangle is education – education is the base for everything in life.”

ach summer four college students are selected to serve as Farmers Union interns.

Through an application and interview process, they are selected to assist with the summer county, district and state camps held across the state.

“Interns play a valuable role helping with everything from promoting the camps to purchasing supplies, organizing events and working during the camps,” explains Bonnie Geyer, Farmers Union Education Director. “When the summer’s over, we hope that they have gained skills in organization, event planning and management that they can use in their future careers.”

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 Karla Hofhenke at 605-352-6761 ext. 114. The awards will be presented during Farmers Union Day at the 2015 South Dakota State Fair.

4

MAY/JUNE 2015

UNION FARMER

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER Cooperative Highlight: Communications Cooperative Expands Service Territory

James Valley Telecommunications’ headquarters are in Groton. The cooperative offers high speed internet, phone, cable TV, cell phone and web hosting services to businesses and residents of Brown, Spink and parts of Day Counties.

S

ucceeding in the competitive telecommunications industry requires excellent service and the capital necessary to provide customers with the latest technology. Realizing this, in the late ‘90s the James Valley Telecommunications cooperative board of directors made the decision to expand their service territory into non-member areas.

“We needed to expand our economy of scale to cover necessary and expensive technology investments,” explains CEO, James Groft. “Expanding our service area was seen as a good way to spread the capital investment over a larger customer-base.”

Groft admits that the expansion was a bit of a risk, but in the end, stepping outside the box of who their cooperative serves has allowed James Valley Telecommunications to provide improved products and services to its membership. “In the past, our industry had been somewhat of a monopoly – we had a captive audience with no competition.

This change took us into competitive territory and forced our cooperative to operate in a competitive environment. We embraced this challenge and it has really paid off for us.”

He explains that this new way of thinking allowed the cooperative to nimbly navigate

more recent changes in the telecommunications industry. “Today the industry as a whole is much more competitive. Because we had been there before the industry changed, we have retained our customers’ business and have continued to expand.”

James Valley Telecommunications’ headquarters are in Groton. The cooperative offers high speed internet, phone, cable TV, cell phone and web hosting services to businesses and residents of Brown, Spink and parts of Day Counties.

To learn more, visit www.jamesvalley.com.

American Exceptionalism — Except for What We Grow The Farm and Food File is published weekly through the U.S. and Canada, written by Alan Guebert, www.farmandfoodfile.com

I

n the chaos that surrounded Congress leaving Washington, D.C., for a flagwaving Memorial Day holiday, your House Ag Committee found time May 20 to vote to kill Country of Origin Labeling, or COOL, for beef, pork and chicken sold in the U.S. If you carnivores out here are keeping score, the Ag Committee vote was the latest confusing government move to keep, then kill, then keep, then change, then kill one of the more popular definitive food labeling laws in the world.

In fact, country of origin labeling for red meat and poultry is so popular around the world that more than 60 nations have a World Trade Organization-legal version of it, noted ranking member Collin Peterson, DMinnesota, prior to the 38-6 committee vote

WWW.SDFU.ORG

to repeal.

The aggie move, however, doesn’t repeal the law; that will take full House and Senate approval, then White House consent. While the first step is all but assured, the glacially slow Senate may not even take up the idea and, if it does, approval is not guaranteed.

If Congress does move to kill COOL, the White House would be in a bind. For years it has been a consistent supporter of the inconsistent: It supports both COOL and the WTO. If forced to choose one over the other, however, bet that it picks the WTO — with regret, to be sure, but without pause.

The incredibly fast Ag Committee action (the WTO had ruled against the U.S. COOL law just 48 hours earlier) and overwhelming vote was a huge victory for Big Ag and knowing ignorance, and a stinging defeat for consumers and transparency.

Even at that, however, the vote was not Congress protecting the nation’s food safety.

That nonsense is what COOL haters want the

UNION FARMER

public to believe because they know this lie is far easier to sell than the actual truth.

Truth is, COOL isn’t about food safety; it never was. COOL is about freedom to choose; your right to know everything you can about what you buy to put in your mouth and the mouths of your family.

Shameful as it is for Congress to, again, work to deny Americans this valuable right, three so-called farm groups — the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Pork Producers Council and the National Milk Producers Federation — have more to be ashamed of.

Since COOL’s legislative inception in 2002, NCBA, NPPC and NMPF have spent millions to buy one-sided, anti-COOL studies they’ve used to condemn it; they’ve helped finance years-long lawsuits to fights its implementation (the money went down a rat

American Exceptionalism Continued on page 13

MAY/JUNE 2015

5

UNION FARMER South Dakota Sheep Producers Raise High Quality Wool & Improve Rangeland

“T

here is nothing cuter than a baby lamb,” Tammy Basel says as she tears down the last of her lambing pens and walks through a cloud of newly shorn ewes surrounded by their babies.

Following in the footsteps of her grandmother, homesteader, Carrie Wilcox Funell, the fourth-generation South Dakota sheep producer, grew up caring for the flock, which, along with quality meat, has been

Tammy Basel

bred to produce superior wool. “The wool from my sheep is the finest quality and is used for military uniforms – I guess that’s one way I give back to my country is through the wool I produce for uniforms.”

Basel’s flock is not unique, South Dakota’s flocks are known for producing high quality, fine wool, says Rita Samuelson, Director of Wool Marketing for the American Sheep Industry Association. “Much of the wool from South Dakota and Montana is fine and used to make dress military uniforms,” Samuelson says.

She explains that all wool and textiles used to manufacture military clothing is required by law to come from the U.S. If the mention of wool clothing makes your skin itch, Samuelson is quick to specify that wool used in clothing is fine and soft.

“This isn’t your grandmother’s wool sweater.

This wool is fine, not coarse,” she says, further explaining: “Fine wool is like baby’s hair; not whiskers.”

In addition to dress uniforms, demand for other wool military garments has increased

6

MAY/JUNE 2015

because of the fiber’s fire and bacteria resistance. “Wool will help protect a soldier from fire hazards; it will char and not melt on the war-fighter,” Samuelson says. “And because it is resistant to bacteria and wicks moisture away, wool keeps soldiers comfortable and reduces odor in the fabric.”

Back on Basel’s Union Center Ranch, Tammy explains that producing fine wool goes beyond breeding. “Sheep producers have to keep their pastures clean and free of cockleburs and other contaminants, like baling twine.”

Basel helps sort the fleeces based on cleanliness each spring as they are sheared. It takes the professional team of shearers only 2 minutes to gently remove the 8 pounds of wool from each ewe.

Like shedding a winter jacket, David Ollila, SDSU Extension Sheep Field Specialist, explains that the wool protects the sheep from South Dakota’s extreme winter weather. “During a winter storm, I see sheep grazing while the cows are huddled up to stay warm.”

Larry Prager

However, Samuelson points out that the wool needs to be shorn off before summer’s warm temperatures arrive. “Shearing is for the sheep’s well being. It’s not healthy for them to have 10 to 15 pounds of wool on their back when it’s 80 degrees outside.”

Once her flock is shorn, Basel loads up the

UNION FARMER

bales of wool and takes them to Center of the Nation Wool, Inc. in Belle Fourche. There, Larry Prager and his team take core samples from each bale of wool and send them off to be analyzed for quality. Based on fiber diameter and cleanliness, Basel is paid a premium for her efforts. “We talk a lot about value-added agriculture. Wool is a great example of adding value to a ranching operation,” says Prager, who has served as General Manager of the producer-owned wool cooperative since 1992.

Prager oversees the sale of about 5 million pounds of wool each year which is produced by about 1,500 ranchers from across South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming.

Basel agrees with Prager. “We sell our lambs and calves in the fall, so we look forward to the wool check each spring.”

She adds that it’s a natural fit to raise the 550-head flock alongside the cattle she raises with her husband, Dallis, and son, Ryan LaMont. “Sheep are a dual-grazing species – meaning we can graze them alongside our cattle because they prefer to eat different grass species than the cattle,” Basel says.

Recent research shows that South Dakota ranchers, like Basel, raise sheep alongside their cattle to balance the grazing pressure among the plant community. “Not only do sheep provide an opportunity to add an enterprise to the existing land resource, but experience shows that when sheep graze with cattle they mimic how the native grassland was utilized in the days of buffalo, encouraging species diversity and improving soil health,” says Ollila, who also helps coordinate SheepSD, an SDSU Extension program designed to assist new sheep producers.

To become involved in South Dakota Sheep Grower’s Association, contact Basel at 605-985-5205, the organization’s President, Max Matthews, 605-490-0726 or visit South Dakota Sheep Grower’s Association on Facebook. To learn more about SheepSD, contact Ollila at david.ollila@sdstate.edu.

by Lura Roti, for SDFU

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER

The ABCs of TPA and TPP

R

ecently there has been heavy/contentious discussion about Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

TPA is legislation that eliminates facets of Congressional oversight (like the ability to debate or amend) in establishing trade agreements.

TPP is a potential “free” trade agreement between the United States and a number of countries in the Pacific arena.

TTIP is another potential “free” trade agreement between the United States and the European Union.

Hidden in the confusion of acronyms and political jargon are trade policies and agreements with serious implications for the American people.

So what do you need to know about the world of trade?

A. TPA erodes fundamental principles of democracy.

TPA grants the President relatively unchecked authority to negotiate trade agreements. Under TPA legislation, Congress would only have the ability to vote YES or NO on a trade package. They would no longer be afforded the ability to debate or amend any aspects of the trade agreement. Those in support of TPA argue that in granting this authority, the Administration would be more inclined to keep Congress involved throughout the process; as the success of the agreement would hinge upon a majority YES vote from both houses. However, what this position so conveniently ignores is the fact that this Administration and future Administrations would simply have to secure the necessary YES vote. After that, any opposition would be left out of the process and out of the conversation. Moreover, with TPA the voice of the minority (the opposition) is removed through the elimination of debate and the power to amend on any trade package. This means Republicans and Democrats alike will be quieted in the name of trade agreement efficiency. Would members of Congress be as supportive if this became common practice for all legislation? If the Administration would draft all legislation and Congress would simply get a YES or NO vote? I have a feeling there would be riots in the halls of the Capitol if that was even suggested. Eroding democracy for the sake of efficiency should never be an accepted

WWW.SDFU.ORG

practice.

B. TPA ignores the abusive polices of potential trade partners.

One of the most damaging policies in any trade relationship is currency manipulation.

Currency manipulation is the act of a country selling its currency, most often against the dollar, in order to devalue said currency. This allows the country to raise prices on imports and, by doing so, increase its trade surplus providing an unfair advantage over American products. One of the largest concerns with TPA, and by extension TPP, is the lack of enforceable language on currency manipulation. There have been suggestions that our potential trade partners cannot be forced into making such an agreement.

Rather, the countries involved in TPP will simply stop manipulating their currency out of good faith and appreciation. This could not be further from the truth. If these countries were committed to denouncing and rejecting their previous manipulation practices, then they should be more than willing to allow enforceable provisions within the agreement. This is clearly not the case as Senator Orrin Hatch alluded to during the discussion of a possible amendment regarding currency manipulation in TPA offered by Senator Rob Portman. Senator Hatch stated, “If this amendment passes, you can kiss TPP goodbye.” It is apparent that Senator Hatch expects these countries, our future trade partners, to engage in currency manipulation and he is still pushing for TPP and TPA approval. That is like asking a burglar to house-sit while you are away on vacation.

C. TPA and TPP use the guise of “free” trade to garner support.

Supporters of TPA and TPP tout the benefits of free trade agreements: new markets for American products, and new, low-cost, foreign products for the American consumer. Yet, while doing so, they ignore the concept of fair trade. After all, the proof should be in the trade pudding for American citizens taking into account the current $500 billion trade deficit held by the home of the stars and stripes. Previous “free” trade agreements have all promised exponential growth and prosperity in the world of trade yet with each agreement we fall further down the rabbit hole.

However, supporters also hang their hat on the success of agriculture in these trade agreements. In fact, agriculture has been the

UNION FARMER

Matt Sibley

only U.S. industry with a trade surplus over the past few decades. This is a testament to the fact that American farmers and ranchers are the best in the world at what they do.

However, as family farmers are far too aware of, the benefits that are provided to farmer and ranchers through these agreements are quickly negated by the drag on the economy through our overall trade deficit and the loss of jobs in rural communities. The $500 billion deficit is currently a 3% drag on our nation’s economy; and practices like currency manipulation have cost the U.S. nearly 6 million jobs. As many rural communities are on the decline, those lost jobs could have been instrumental in preventing such fates.

Touted are the benefits of new markets and ignored is the sacrifice of our rural communities. It is like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

TPA is an unwarranted shortcut that forsakes our Constitutional system of checks and balances in the name of trade efficiency.

Without provisions on currency manipulation, TPP is destined to follow in the deficit ridden footsteps of past agreements. The cliché is “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.” We are well beyond fool me twice with agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement, Central American Free Trade Agreement, and the Korean Free Trade Agreement.

Winston Churchill once said, “All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.”

Contact your Congressional delegation and tell them to vote wisely. Editorial column by Matt Sibley, S.D. Farmers Union Legislative Specialist

MAY/JUNE 2015

7

UNION FARMER Cooperative Highlight: Sioux Valley Energy Attracting Families & Grassroots Support Takes Creativity & Fun

S

erving more than 23,000 members in South Dakota and portions of Minnesota, Sioux Valley Energy provides electricity to a diverse audience.

However, the 1,000-plus folks who made time for their Annual Meeting year-afteryear only represented a small portion of this demographic.

Wishing to engage a larger representation of their membership, the Sioux Valley Energy board of directors began changing the look and feel of their Annual Meeting, explains Carrie Law, Director of Communications & Government Relations for Sioux Valley Energy.

“We turned the Annual Meeting into a family-fun/member appreciation event,” Law says of the Annual Meeting events which have included a semi-pro baseball game, carnival, country music concert, magic show and the upcoming 2015 Annual Meeting mini-rodeo event that will be hosted at McCrossan Boys Ranch on June 2, 2015.

The out-of-the box change did not go unnoticed. Members who had never attended Annual Meetings before began showing up. “We saw an increase in attendance, but even more important, the folks who are attending today are not the people we traditionally saw at our Annual Meeting,” Law said. “Today, our Annual Meetings reflect the early days of rural electric cooperatives, when the whole family would attend – this change really took us back to our roots.”

Law reminds readers that grassroots advocacy is at the foundation of cooperatives. “We want our membership to be actively involved in selecting board members and voting on bylaws, yet we have to realize that the cooperative is competing for today’s membership time,” Law said.

“Families are busy. If you want to engage them, you have to make it worth their time.”

A little history The roots of today’s Sioux Valley Energy date back to 1938. It originally brought electricity to rural households in Brookings, Lake, Moody, Minnehaha and a portion of Kingsbury County, South Dakota.

Sioux Valley Electric’s first line-pole went in the ground in eastern Moody County on

8

MAY/JUNE 2015

May 17, 1940, and by January 1941 there were a total of 748 members receiving electric service from the cooperative.

Line construction continued.

By July of 1949, Sioux Valley Electric had 1,350 new members (with 3,800 already receiving service).

Sioux Valley Electric was the largest rural electric cooperative in South Dakota, a position it still holds. In May of 1951, Humboldt became the first town to sign a franchise agreement with the rural electric cooperative to provide service to the community.

Today, Sioux Valley Energy serves the South Dakota communities of Brandon, Chester, Colton, Hartford, Humboldt, Junius, Lyons, Sinai and Valley Springs, and Hardwick, Minnesota.

In 1995 Sioux Valley Electric merged with Southwestern Minnesota Cooperative

UNION FARMER

Electric (SMCE) which served rural areas in Rock and Pipestone counties in Minnesota to become Sioux Valley-Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc. effective January 1, 1996, serving 17,000 members.

It began doing business as Sioux Valley Energy in June of 2002. The official name remains Sioux Valley-Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc. To learn more about Sioux Valley Energy, visit www.siouxvalleyenergy.com.

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER COOL Fly-In

Continued from Page 1

a food safety issue,” Kolousek says. “I’m willing to do anything I can to help consumers retain this right.”

Meeting face-to-face with Congressional leaders and their staff, Farmers Union members urged Congress to allow the World Trade Organization (WTO) process to conclude without interference. “Despite the recent WTO decision, there is still a path forward for COOL,” says Doug Somke, S.D. Farmers Union President. “We need to leave COOL alone. For Congress to insert itself in the middle of the WTO process would not only be unprecedented in U.S. history, but would also be a disservice to consumers who want to know where their food comes from and to producers who are proud to provide the information.”

Sombke adds that interestingly enough, more than 70 countries world-wide (including countries throughout the European Union), have laws similar to COOL. This means that meat is labeled with its U.S. origin. “Yet consumers here may not have the same right to know where their meat is raised, and those who raise the product may not have the ability to share this with their consumers if COOL does not remain law,” Sombke

During the COOL Fly-In, SDFU members and staff met with South Dakota Congressional leaders as well as representatives from other states to show our unwaivering support for COOL.

explains.

As Farmers Union continues to remind Congressional leadership that COOL is a consumer issue, the WTO ruling is based on economics. “And, all the financial studies conducted by multi-national packer groups have all been industry-owned. The recent, third-party study conducted by C. Robert Taylor, Ph.D., Auburn University Scholar and Professor, clarifies that any declines present in market research since 2008 can be explained by multiple factors, none involving COOL.”

Overall, Sibley and Sombke said their message was heard. “John Thune understands the situation and seems to be advocating for keeping COOL law,” Sombke says.

Putting a Face to the Issue

Doug Sombke, SDFU President

Although phone calls and e-mails are effective ways to communicate with Congressional leadership, Matt Sibley, South Dakota Farmers Union Legislative Specialist, says this face-to-face time is difficult to ignore.

“Members of Congress receive information digitally and in reports created by their staff. By bringing the experts to their door – farmers and ranchers who actually raise the beef eaten by U.S. consumers – Congressional leaders and their staff can learn firsthand why those impacted most want to keep COOL as law,” Sibley says.

Dick Kolousek, SDFU member and Wessington Springs cattle producer.

He urges members of South Dakota Farmers Union to contact Sen. Thune with their support for keeping COOL law; to reach Thune’s D.C. office, call 1-866-850-3855 or 202-224-2321.

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

UNION FARMER

MAY/JUNE 2015

9

UNION FARMER

Family’s Focus on Land Stewardship Maximizes Grassland Health & Forage – Even during Drought Years

I

n addition to calves and crops, the Kolousek farm has seen 20 miles of new fenceline over the last 10 years.

Each spring since 2005, Dick and Scott have installed an additional 2 miles of fence to break up their seasonal pastureland and allow for intensive grazing.

“For the last five years we’ve run our herd on a strict rotational grazing system – only once through each pasture - and they are never on a pasture for more than three weeks,” explains Scott, 39, who raises cattle and crops with his dad, Dick, on the family farm near Wessington Springs.

The men worked with Game, Fish & Parks, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Range Specialists to design their take half/leave half intensive grazing program. These programs also

Dick & Janet

Scott & Dick

percent of our herd in February and March.

We thought we’d sell them while the prices were high – I’m glad we did because prices are already on their way down,” he says.

In addition to grazing, the family raises all their own feedstuffs. Scott’s sons, Isaac, 13, and Jacob, 11, help put up about 3,000 bales of hay each summer; they raise alfalfa and feed about one-third of the corn they raise.

The family markets the oats and wheat they harvest.

Intensive grazing isn’t the only change Dick has seen the five-generations-old farm undergo since Scott returned to the farm. A while back, Scott brought up the idea of

Abby & Ella

helped fund the installation of 9 miles of pipeline so each new pasture has access to well or rural water. “No relying on dams or dugouts anymore,” Scott says of the 41 tire tanks which provide water to the 47 pastures.

Although it took a large investment of time, labor and money to convert the 7,000 acres of open rangeland into 47 pastures, their efforts paid off. “During the bad drought in 2012, we didn’t have to sell any cows or buy any hay – and the pastures came out above average,” Scott says, adding that they are a bit concerned about available moisture this summer.

“We planned ahead and sold about 20

10

MAY/JUNE 2015

introducing Hereford genetics into their Black Angus herd. “At the time we weren’t happy with our current breeding program, so we thought we’d try cross breeding.

Scott did the leg work and it has really paid off,” Dick says.

He adds that partnering with his son has been a fairly easy transition. “I don’t just say ‘yes’ to all his ideas. I like to make him think about them for a bit – however, several of the things we are doing today were his idea,’” says Dick, who also has two grown daughters who are not involved in the farm, Laura Kolousek and Leah Richter. “I hope one of Scott’s kids takes over one day so this family farm can continue into the future.”

Crossbreeding has improved their herd’s overall performance and the calm disposition of the Hereford bulls has made working cattle a more family-friendly experience. “I’m amazed by how calm they are,” Scott says.

“When I start working the bulls, I can run 30 into the yard, walk in on foot and use a sorting stick to move them.”

“Before, I remember when we were working the bulls, we didn’t dare get off our horses in the pen,” adds Amber, who owns her own website management business and also works from home for a title company. “I enjoy the flexibility it provides. Because it’s just Scott and Dick, when they need an extra hand, I am here to help.” the Kolouseks began When crossbreeding, they also pushed their calving start-date back to the end of April – to give the weather a chance to warm up and the grass an opportunity to green up.

Kolousek

UNION FARMER

Continued on page 13

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER

Farmers Union 2015 Camp Season Begins!

Farmers Union camper shows off the Cooperative Care Bag she made filled with small gifts from different cooperative businesses to take home to someone in need in her community.

T

he first time Jason Hanson, 17, attended Farmers Union camp, he was holding his dad, Lorrie’s hand.

“It was important to dad that I attend camp because he grew up going to Farmers Union camp and wanted me to share in a similar experience,” said Hanson, a graduate of Britton/Hecla High School who plans to attend North Dakota State University to study Animal Science.

Hanson is one of six teens who are involved in planning the 2015 camps as a member of the Farmers Union Junior Advisory Council.

“Camp is something I look forward to attending each summer because it is so much fun and I’ve met some of my best friends there,” Hanson said. “Now I get to help younger kids learn and have fun at camp.”

This summer’s camp season is gearing up for the 2,000-plus rural youth ages 6 through high school seniors who will be attending one or more of the 58 county day camps; three, three-day district camps; and one state leadership camp.

“We make sure camp is fun, but also informational. It’s our hope that through camp, youth learn more about themselves, gain confidence, make friends and glean a clear understanding of the cooperative system, agriculture and farm safety,” says Bonnie Geyer, South Dakota Farmers Union Education Director.

Helping Geyer with camp preparations is a team of dedicated district and county education directors, top-notch high school students who make up the Junior Advisory Council and select Torchbearers, who serve as the Senior Advisory Council, along with a team of four energetic summer interns.

“This is a real team effort,” Geyer says.

Although preparing for camp is a real task, volunteers like Denise Mushitz, District 1 Education Director, says the positive impact

WWW.SDFU.ORG

During Farmers Union camp, campers enjoy interactive games.

camp has on youth makes all the work worth it.

“It is so rewarding to see a young person come to district camp as a 6-years-old and then watch them develop leadership and social skills as they go through all the stages of the youth program. And, eventually, because I have been involved in many of these young people’s lives, they invite me to their weddings,” Mushitz explains.

A third-generation Farmers Union member, Mushitz started attending camp at 6 and credits Farmers Union camp with giving her confidence and a life-long bond with the organization.

“I was a shy kid, but Farmers Union camp was a place where I could go and be myself.

It gave me skills that I use in my job every day,” says the middle school teacher who farms and ranches with her husband, John, near Geddes.

Each year, Mushitz sees kids like her pulled out of their shell and develop life-long friendships. “There are many kids who say they are closer to their Farmers Union friends than their friends from high school.”

Although she is a generation younger than Mushitz, Tyana Gottsleben can relate.

Attending Farmers Union camp from the time she was 5, the Philip High School senior cannot wait for the 2015 camp season to begin.

“I look forward to meeting all the campers as they arrive at camp,” says Gottsleben, who will be attending Northern State University this fall pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. “As a young camper I enjoyed meeting new friends and participating in all the fun activities the counselors had planned for us.”

The last few summers, Gottsleben, like Hanson, has been the one planning activities as a District camp counselor and is currently one of two college students to serve on the

UNION FARMER

Senior Advisory Council. In this role, she serves as a mentor to the Junior Advisory Council and helps them plan State Leadership Camp.

“It’s always a challenge to find enough time for all the activities we plan for the campers – but somehow we squeeze it all in,” Gottsleben says. “Through the Farmers Union camp and serving on the teams who plan camp, I have developed many skills that have helped me be a better leader and have become an independent person. This will continue to serve me as I leave home for college and pursue a career in education.”

More about 2015 Camps County Camp: All youth, ages 6 to 13, are invited to attend county Farmers Union day camps. Through interactive activities and crafts, day campers will learn about cooperatives, leadership and agriculture including farm safety. This year, camps will also focus on activities which celebrate Farmers Union’s centennial year.

The cost is $5 for non-Farmers Union members’ children; members’ children attend for free.

During the day camp, campers will participate in games, crafts and other fun activities. Plan for a hands-on fun day that will focus on cooperatives and South Dakota’s agriculture industry.

Campers are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes for activities. All campers will receive a free T-shirt, courtesy of the Farmers Union Insurance Agency.

County camp dates and registration forms can be found online at www.sdfu.org; click on the Calendar tab. You can also pick up registration forms at your local Farmers Union Insurance office or your local cooperative.

2015 District 3-day Camp Registration Deadlines: District 1 & 2 is May 15, 2015;

Camp Begins

Continued on page 17

MAY/JUNE 2015

11

UNION FARMER Around the State With Farmers Union Read on to learn how South Dakota Farmers Union members and staff are making a difference in rural communities across South Dakota.

SDFU Supports Huron Chamber Ag Committee 3rd Grade Farm and Open House Tour

South Dakota Farmers Union Supports COOL Locally & in D.C.

More than 240 students from Huron-area schools participated in the 2015 Farm Tour sponsored by the Huron Chamber Ag Committee. SDFU Education Director, Bonnie Geyer, has volunteered on this committee for the last 19 years.

Students toured the Marc Kleinsasser Farm located north of Huron. During the tour they visited various stations to learn about chickens, farm machinery, horses, pigs and milk cows. On May 12, 2015, the Huron Area Chamber celebrated Farmers Union’s new state office with an Open House Tour.

Jr REAL Visits Newell High School In it’s sixth year, Farmers Union is developing future leaders through the Jr. REAL program which brings leadership development and life skills training to rural high schools throughout South Dakota. During the 2014-2015 school year, about 1,000 students took part in the program.

“We focus on rural high schools because they may not have the opportunity to bring in leadership development speakers that larger schools do,” explains Erin Wilcox, Rural Development Director of the youth version of the adult REAL program.

In April, Jr. REAL visited Newell High School. Students had the opportunity to hear from North Dakota rancher, columnist and inspirational speaker, Ryan Taylor, and participate in breakout sessions where they learned community service from John Beranek; how to identify components of student leadership and how to become lifelong leaders from Malcom Chapman; and focused on how to prevent credit issues and identity theft from Gerri Ann Eide.

12

MAY/JUNE 2015

UNION FARMER

South Dakota Farmers Union hosted a COOL rally May 8, 2015, in Watertown during President Obama’s visit, to remind the Administration to maintain Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) as a federal law.

“We are working to keep COOL on people’s minds so they will remind Congressional leadership of the important role it plays in food safety,” said Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union. “COOL is a law that is important to everyone who wants to know where their food comes from.”

Along with the recent rally, Sombke, a fourth-generation Conde crop and cattle producer, joined National Farmers Union in D.C. the week of May 18 for a COOL Fly-In. He was accompanied by Farmers Union members, Dick and Janet Kolousek, who raise cattle near Wessington Springs with their son, Scott, and his family.

“Farmers Union is a grassroots organization. Members from across the U.S. attended this Fly-In so we could meet oneon-one with members of Congress and their staff about the value of keeping COOL a federal law,” Sombke explained.

If you want to keep COOL a federal law, contact your Congressional representatives by calling the switchboard to the Capitol at (202) 224-3121 and encourage them to leave COOL in our federal law. To learn more about South Dakota Farmers Union, visit www.sdfu.org.

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER Kolousek

Continued from Page 10

Looking to the future As they look to the future of their family’s farm, the Kolouseks have a lot to think about.

Scott and Amber have four children: Isaac, Jacob, Abby, 9, and Ella, 6. However, they aren’t interested in expanding. “We want to maximize our efficiencies,” says Scott. “By managing our pasture resources better, we’re able to run more cattle and even in drought years, the grass is healthier.”

In addition to investing in their on-farm

resources, the couples spend time giving back. Amber is a member of the Wessington Springs District School Board and Scott serves on their church Finance Council. Dick also served several years on the school board and has served 20-plus years on the Soil Conservation Board. Janet works full-time off the farm and volunteers time to church and community organizations.

As a family, the Kolouseks are active members of Farmers Union. In 2014 Scott and Amber attended the National Farmers Union D.C. Fly-In and in 2015 Dick and Janet

YOUNG PRODUCERS CONFERENCE Crossroads Hotel & Convention Center Huron, SD Starting at 5 PM on July 21

Featured Presenters: Lucas Lentsch ~ SD Secretary of Agriculture Dr. Dustin Oedekoven ~ SD State Veterinarian Craig Schaunaman ~ SD State FSA Executive Director DuWayne Bosse ~ Marketing Specialist Reed McDaniel, Ph.D. ~ SDSU Extension Beef Feedlot Specialist Plus Estate Planning & more speakers to be announced To attend, contact: Erin Wilcox SDFU Rural Development Director ewilcox@sdfu.org or 605-352-6761 ext: 118

Farmers Market Event

MEETING NOTICE County Councilors Meeting County Councilors committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, 2015 at the Crossroads Convention Center in Huron, SD. The Meeting will start at 1:00 pm Lunch will start at Noon.

Please RSVP to Luanne at 605-352-6761, Ext 0

American Exceptionalism

July 2, 2015 from 3 to 6 p.m.

Aberdeen Downtown Farmers Market In Central Park on the corner of West J St and 2nd Ave SE S.D. Sec. of Agriculture, Lucas Lentsch will be in attendance.

Jill Haberman from Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society will discuss Local foods, the benefits of buying local and different ways to use In-Season Garden Produce. The presentation will run three times, at 3:15; 4:15 and 5:15 pm.

“exceptional”?

In fact, if America and its farmers and COOL backers get it; always have. ranchers are truly “exceptional,” as Big Ag What they will never understand, and these anti-COOL commodity groups however, is why Big Ag has not used its legal unfailingly sing, why is what U.S. farmers and firepower, political influence and deep ranchers grow and sell in their own country pockets to develop a workable county of not good enough to even be labeled origin labeling policy that is both WTO legal American? and delivers what more than eight out of 10 The Farm and Food File is published weekly Americans say they want to know: whether through the U.S. and Canada. Source material, the chicken they’re eating is Chinese or the past columns and information on The Land of sirloin on the grill is Sonoran.

Milk and Uncle Honey, a book by Guebert and Other countries have COOL. What, we're Mary Grace Foxwell, are posted at not as smart or clever as them? Aren’t we www.farmandfoodfile.com

Continued from Page 5

hole; federal courts have consistently held the law constitutional) or have it killed; and they’ve financed political candidates who oppose it.

Their anti-COOL stance was — is — simple to understand. Influential ag-biz group members have hundreds of millions, even billions, of dollars riding on unrestricted global trade. That means any law that slows exports of U.S. meat or milk products abroad or the import of foreign animals and food here costs 'em markets, sales and profits.

WWW.SDFU.ORG

participated in the National Farmers Union D.C. COOL Fly-In to encourage Congressional leaders to keep Country of Origin Labeling as a federal law.

“We are big believers in organizations like Farmers Union who support family farmers like us,” Scott says. “This farm has been in our family since 1905 and we hope it remains a part of our family for another hundred-plus years.”

To view more photos of the Kolousek family, visit www.sdfu.org. by Lura Roti, for SDFU and photos by Kaylee Speck Photography

UNION FARMER

MAY/JUNE 2015

13

UNION FARMER Farmers Union Camp Prepares Generations of Leaders

G

rowing up, chores and fieldwork kept Lorrie Hanson busy on his family’s Claremont farm during the summer months. Farmers Union Camp was one of the few exceptions.

“I couldn’t wait for camp. I developed friendships I still have today; plus, as I got more involved and served on the Junior Advisory Council, I gained valuable leadership skills which have served me well as an adult and single dad,” explains the 37year-old father of five.

Denise Mushitz (fourth from left), at All States Camp Today, Hanson’s children are among the more than 3,000 South Dakota youth who participate in South Dakota Farmers Union camp and educational programming each year. His oldest son, Jason, 17, has followed in his footsteps and currently serves on the Junior Advisory Council – the elected student group who plans camp each year.

Attending camp since he was 8, Jason echoes his father’s “I’ve had experience. opportunities to travel, make SDFU Education Director, Bonnie Geyer & campers lifelong friends and develop at Hyde County Camp, 2015 leadership skills, as well as learn the value of cooperatives,” says the 2015 graduate of Britton/Hecla High School who plans to attend North Dakota State University this fall to pursue a degree in Animal Science.

Teaching the next generation about the cooperative system while helping them develop leadership and citizenship has been at the heart of Farmers Union youth educational programming since it was introduced to the state organization in the early 1930s, explains Bonnie Geyer, S.D. Farmers Union Education Director.

“Farmers Union Youth programming shows the brilliance of our forefathers to realize that educating the entire family is the best approach,” Geyer says. “It’s important Jason Hanson that youth learn about the importance of community involvement and cooperation doing. When teens are given the large task early.” and responsibility of planning a camp Geyer explains that the award structure together, they develop valuable skills that within Farmers Union youth programming serve them well into the future – and the incentivizes youth to not only become active younger kids pick up on positive peer in their rural communities, but to serve as pressure,” Geyer says. “Kids mentoring kids positive peer role models. “We learn best by works.”

14

MAY/JUNE 2015

UNION FARMER

Serving as Education Director for more than 18 years, Geyer has seen campers’ experience come full circle when teens who helped her plan camp as members of the Junior and Senior Advisory Councils return to work with her, volunteering as County and District Education Directors. This is Denise Mushitz’s story.

Mushitz, a middle school teacher, volunteers as District 1 Education Director serving Charles Mix, Bon Homme, Douglas, Hutchinson, Yankton, Clay, Union, Lincoln and Turner Counties. She is among the 50 member volunteers who help organize Farmers Union day and overnight camps each summer.

A third-generation Farmers Union member, Mushitz vividly remembers attending county meetings with her parents and grandparents as a child. She credits her involvement in Farmers Union Youth Programming with her ability to speak in front of groups and overcome her shyness tendencies to make new friends.

“The way the camp program is designed allows youth who are shy, or kids who may not fit in at their school, to connect with peers and develop confidence, as well as lifelong friendships. I know how valuable this opportunity is because I was one of those shy kids,” Mushitz says. “I’ve been blessed to see youth mature and grow through the program to become amazing adults. It’s rewarding to know that as a volunteer I had something to do with that.”

She adds that the multi-generational nature of an organization like Farmers Union provides a unique opportunity for youth to engage with people of all ages. “By interacting with people of all ages and walks of life, it not only gives youth a strong sense of belonging, but it presents youth with a broader view of the world they live in.”

Cooperative education In the early years, Farmers Union campers were mostly farm kids. However, as on-farm demographics have changed, so too have the campers. Today, Farmers Union campers represent South Dakota’s rural residents and

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER

are a mix of farm and town kids.

This makes the cooperative education these campers receive even more important, says Jeff Nelson, retired General Manager of East River Electric Power Cooperative.

"Many cooperative members are so far removed from the days before electricity and telephone services, that they tend to take cooperatives for granted. This is where rural advocacy organizations, like Farmers Union, play a valuable role as they look at ways to sustain and bring in the next generation of cooperative members."

Supporting cooperative development has been a focus of South Dakota Farmers Union since its establishment in South Dakota more than a century ago. (Read more about S.D. Farmers Union's role in establishment of cooperatives in South Dakota at www.sdfu.org.)

Although cooperative education is part of all Farmers Union summer camps, during the teen leadership camp, campers actually get to operate their own cooperatives.

“This taught me the importance of cooperatives and how they not only help me as a consumer, but also the community around me,” Jason Hanson explains.

To show their appreciation, each year CHS cooperatives invest in Farmers Union Youth Programming through an educational grant

fund.

“Farmers Union Youth Programming provides great value to cooperatives throughout the state because by the time these youth are members, they will understand the importance of getting involved in the leadership decisions and direction of the cooperative business they own,” says Don Truhe, General Manager of Southeast Farmers Co-op.

This is the fourth article in a series celebrating the role South Dakota Farmers Union has played in our state’s agricultural industry over the last century. To view a photo gallery, visit sdfu.org and click on the Century Strong icon.

To donate to Farmers Union Youth Programming, contact South Dakota Farmers Union Executive Director, Karla Hofhenke, at khofhenke@sdfu.org or 605-352-6761 ext. 114. by Lura Roti, for SDFU

Yours for Only $10!

Learn the history of South Dakota Farmers Union by reading The Family Farm ers’ 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 Foundatio n. To learn more, contact Pam Evenson, pevenson@sd fu.org or 605-352-6761 ex t. 116.

SDFU also has copies me mbers can check out. Co ntact Pam if you are interested in borrowing a copy.

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER

MAY/JUNE 2015

15

UNION FARMER Quiz Bowl Encourages Youth to Think about Farm & Ranch Safety

F

our FFA Chapters placed in the Farmers Union Team Up for Safety Quiz Bowl held in conjunction with the 2015 South Dakota State FFA Convention and will be advancing to the state competition held during the South Dakota State Fair.

The qualifying teams are, in order of highest score, the Viborg/Hurley FFA Chapter; the Parker FFA Chapter; the Deuel FFA Chapter; and the Howard FFA Chapter. The Wolsey/Wessington FFA Chapter ranked fifth in points and will be the alternate team for the final round at the State Fair competition.

“The quiz bowl is a fun way for high school students to learn about safety on the farm or ranch,” said Doug Sombke, South Dakota Farmers Union President, of the competition that asks FFA members questions on farm and ranch safety.

“We hope with the information they’ll learn at the quiz bowl they’ll be prepared if they’re ever faced with an emergency situation or if they’re working with livestock or doing any other potentially dangerous job on the farm,” he said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 million youth, under the age of 20, live on farms in the

U.S. Over half of them do farm-related work. Sombke points out that agriculture is often listed among the most dangerous occupations in America. Because of the large machinery they work with, along with chemical hazards, unpredictable livestock and enclosed spaces like grain bins that hold thousands of pounds of grain, farm workers face many risks.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that in 2010 the injury rate for agricultural workers was over 20 percent higher than the rate for all workers. The department reported in 2009 alone that 440 farm workers died from work-related injuries.

“The risks are real, especially for young people on the farm or ranch,” Sombke said. “Part of Farmers Union’s mission is to educate young people about agriculture, and farm safety is a very important part of that.”

The teams who competed in the quiz bowl included FFA Chapters from the following towns/schools: Sunshine Bible Academy, Centerville, Chamberlain, Lennox, Dell Rapids, Lyman, Tri-Valley, McCook Central, Rutland, Miller, Gettysburg, Beresford and Marion.

Parker FFA Chapter Members (left to right): Kristen VanDeRoystne, Lucy Anderson, Rayna Mohr, Catherine Leber

Deuel FFA Chapter Members (left to right): Nick Cook, Meaghan Sievers, Jennifer Mueller, Colin Magedanz

Howard FFA Chapter Members (left to right): Taylor Larson, Tyler Hoffman, Tanner Davids, Jared Steeneck

16

MAY/JUNE 2015

Viborg/Hurley FFA Chapter Members (left to right): Back row – Kyle Engen & Dakota Flint. Front row – Jaclynn Knutson & Abby Hora

UNION FARMER

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER Camp Begins

Continued from Page 11

District 3 & 7 is July 20, 2015; District 4, 5 & 6 is July 24, 2015.

All children ages 6-13 are invited to attend South Dakota Farmers Union’s District Summer Camps. This year’s theme celebrates Farmers Union’s centennial year, Growing Stronger with Cooperation, Celebrating 100 Years.

Through hands-on crafts and interactive games, youth will learn about how cooperatives work, develop team work and leadership skills, and also learn about South Dakota’s agriculture industry. During the

three-day camp, campers will participate in interactive games, singing, crafts, canoeing, camp fires and many other camp traditions.

Each child will also receive a free T-shirt courtesy of the Farmers Union Insurance Agency.

Registration forms can be found online at www.sdfu.org; click on the Calendar tab. You can also pick up registration forms at your local Farmers Union Insurance office or your local cooperative.

State Leadership Camp Registration Deadline is May 15, 2015. State Leadership Camp, June 7-12, 2015, provides the opportunity for Senior Youth (those who have completed the seventh grade through the summer following senior year in high school) to attend the week-long State Leadership Camp at Storm Mountain Center just outside Rapid City.

During this camp, youth organize and operate five cooperative businesses. They learn about Farmers Union, cooperative businesses, participate in leadership workshops, listen to guest speakers and participate in talent night activities.

A tour of the Black Hills, hiking, volleyball, basketball and fun

cooperative games complete the camp experience and leave campers with lasting memories and many new friends.

Everyone is welcome and invited to participate.

Registration forms can be found online at www.sdfu.org; click on the Calendar tab.

You can also pick up registration forms at your local Farmers Union Insurance office or your local cooperative.

For more information, contact Farmers Union State Education Director, Bonnie Geyer, at 605-352-6761 ext. 125 or email her at bgeyer@sdfu.org. To view images from SD Farmers Union camps throughout the summer, visit http://www.sdfu.org/education/ youth-camps.

2015 Farmers Union County Day Camp Schedule

For times, locations, and registration information, visit www.sdfu.org; click on the Calendar tab.

JUNE

JULY

7-12 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 21-27 22 23 24 25 27 29 30 30 1 7 7 8 8

WWW.SDFU.ORG

State Leadership Camp, Storm Mt., Rapid City Haakon/Jackson Camp, Philip Edmunds/McPherson, Roscoe Campbell/Walworth County, Herreid Jones County Camp, Murdo Hughes/Sully/Stanley Camp, Onida Corson County Camp, McIntosh Potter County Camp, Hoven Brule County Camp, Chamberlain All Stateʼs Camp, Bailey, CO Tripp County Camp, Colome Gregory County Camp, Fairfax Gregory County Camp, Gregory Yankton County Camp, Yankton Lyman County Camp, Reliance Codington/Hamlin County Camp, Watertown Meade County Camp, Union Center Moody County Camp, Flandreau Butte/Lawrence County Camp, Spearfish Turner County Camp, Irene Kingsbury County, DeSmet Aurora County Camp, Stickney Hutchinson County Camp, Menno

9 9 10 10 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 20 21 22 23 26-29

Bon Homme County Camp, Tyndall Brookings County Camp, Brookings Douglas County Camp, Armour Lake County Camp, Madison Marshall County Camp, Britton Roberts County Camp, Wilmot Jerauld County Camp, Wessington Springs Day County Camp, Webster Minnehaha County Camp, Hartford Davison County Camp, Mitchell Miner County Camp, Howard Spink County Camp, Frankfort Brown County Camp, Aberdeen Beadle County Camp, Huron McCook County Camp, Salem District III, & VII Camp, Lake Richmond, Aberdeen 30 Grant County Camp, Milbank 31-Aug. 2 District IV, V, VI Camp, Bob Marshall, Custer Dewey/Ziebach Camp, TBA AUGUST 3 4 Perkins County Camp, Bison 5 Harding County Camp, Buffalo 11 Deuel Grant Camp, Clear Lake

UNION FARMER

MAY/JUNE 2015

17

UNION FARMER Roger Johnson National Farmers Union President

N

ational Farmers Union held a special Spring Fly-In in May, hosting 60 Farmers Union members from 27 states. Participants urged their congressional representatives to keep Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL). Trade continues to be a hot issue in Washington, as the Obama administration seeks to secure Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), or “fast-track,” in order to finalize the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The EPA is expected to release the 20142016 proposed volume targets for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on June 1, and NFU is urging the administration to stick to targets set forth in the statutes enacting the RFS. Spring Fly-in: Keep COOL National Farmers Union hosted 60 members for the 2015 Spring Fly-In in Washington, D.C., May 18-21. Participants from 27 states traveled to the nation’s capital to advocate for Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), meeting with their congressional representatives to let them know producers and consumers alike favor the law, and urging Congress to leave COOL alone until the World Trade Organization (WTO) process was exhausted.

The fly-in’s timing could not have aligned better with the WTO ruling on COOL, as the decision was expected on May 18. Participants felt the sense of urgency, while asking their representatives to wait for the ruling before moving forward with any legislation. They discussed the importance of COOL to family farmers and producers and emphasized that possible retaliation from Canada and Mexico is expected to be minimal.

Trade Issues Hotly Contested The Obama administration has been pushing for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), or fast-track, from Congress in order to finalize the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

TPA would allow the administration to negotiate TPP 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, giving NFU reason for concern.

18

MAY/JUNE 2015

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. 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 concerned about the overall trade deficit, which reached $505 billion in 2014 - nearly 3 percent of GDP. National Farmers Union advocates for the prosperity of the nation’s economy and is therefore strongly opposed to Trade Promotion Authority.

The House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee each passed a TPA bill at the end of April, setting up debate on each chamber floor. The bill experienced a rocky start, as a cloture vote to begin debate on the Senate floor failed on the first attempt. Several days later, after some hard lobbying efforts from President Obama, the Senate passed a cloture vote to begin debate on the bill. A vote on the bill is expected after Memorial Day.

On the Hill The House Energy and Water spending subcommittee reduced funds for renewable energy and energy efficiency from last year - a disappointment to National Farmers Union (NFU), as renewable energy benefits both the climate and rural communities. The House of Representatives voted to repeal the estate tax in April, which NFU also opposed because it would increase the overall tax burden on American family farmers and ranchers. The president is expected to veto the repeal, should it pass in the Senate as well.

Two important acts up for reauthorization are the U.S. Grain Standards Act and the Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting (MPR) Act. NFU supports reauthorizing both acts and included suggestions for improving them in separate letters to Senators Pat Roberts, RKansas, and Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. The series of suggestions on MPR were offered in order to make the price reporting data a more effective and usable tool for family farmers and ranchers. Both letters can be found on the NFU website - www.NFU.org.

COOL Ruling Imminent In October, the World Trade Organization (WTO) found the United States’ Country-ofOrigin Labeling (COOL) law to be compliant with WTO rules, but decided its implementation is unbalanced between consumer information and production costs.

Shortly after, the U.S. Trade Representative appealed the ruling. The WTO decision on the appeal is expected by May 18, and NFU is urging lawmakers to exhaust the WTO process before considering changes to the law. (The decision was not issued by the time this publication was released.)

At a subcommittee hearing in late March, Johnson referenced a study done on COOL by C. Robert Taylor, Ph.D., that found COOL did not negatively impact Canadian imports of cattle in the U.S. Johnson urged the committee to wait for the WTO process to run its course and reiterated that Canada and Mexico cannot retaliate if no damages are found.

While COOL has been a contentious issue between the U.S. and its neighbors, this has not been the case in Europe. In addition to COOL requirements for beef, the European Union (EU) recently expanded their mandatory labeling of fresh, chilled and frozen meat to include sheep, goats, pigs and poultry.

RFS Targets To Be Set 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 been a major boost 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 fuels used have been derived from corn-based ethanol, which has significantly increased the price of corn and other commodities. This process has proven extremely efficient, because Distiller’s Dried Grains (DDGs), a feed source for the cattle and poultry industries, are a byproduct of ethanol production, allowing corn used in ethanol production to serve as both feed and fuel.

On April 10, the EPA announced it would be proposing the 2014-2016 RFS target levels on June 1, 2015, and have them finalized by November 30, 2015, a positive step towards restoring certainty in the biofuels industry. NFU took the opportunity to urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stick to RFS statutory volume target levels, as the proposed levels from November 2013 were unacceptably low. Courtesy of NFU May 15, 2015

UNION FARMER

WWW.SDFU.ORG

From the President....

Is Postal Privatization a Danger?

It’s no secret I have a special interest in our United States Postal Service (USPS). Not only is it vital to rural areas like South Doug Sombke Dakota, but my wife, SDFU President Mel, has worked there for 30 years and currently is Postmaster in Groton.

I have seen firsthand how postal service impacts our daily lives as a consumer and as a server. I have addressed this point during Farmers Union state and national policy discussions earning a place in both our policies.

However, as rural America experiences the troubles with USPS, Farmers Union seems to be the canary in the coal mine with little, if any, attention.

The USPS service center in Huron; it is one of 82 being considered for closure in 2015.

Yes. It has already begun.

Postal executives deny any interest in privatizing the agency; so do most politicians.

However, many on Wall Street and in Congress are eager to dismantle the Postal Service so they can turn over the profitable segments to their cronies in private industry. Case in point a 2013 white paper financed by Pitney Bowes and issued by the National Academy of Public Administration called for the privatization of all retail and mail sorting operations. Much of the mail is already processed in private “pre-sort houses” that employ low-wage workers. Pitney Bowes has the “largest pre-sort network” in the country and stands to make substantial profits from a more privatized USPS. USPS documents – and their policies – demonstrate that the danger of privatization is real.

• In 2013, USPS entered a secretive, no-bid deal to offer postal services at Staples stores, using low-wage Staples employees, rather than USPS employees.

The USPS hopes to expand this model to other retailers. An internal USPS document reveals that the goal of the Staples deal was to replace living-wage USPS jobs with low-wage, non-union jobs at Staples and other national retailers.

• USPS management has proposed wholesale subcontracting of its transportation operations.

• The virtual elimination of overnight delivery of first-class mail, the closure of mail processing centers and shorter hours at post offices undermine the mission of USPS. They also undermine confidence in

WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER and support for USPS, increasing the danger of privatization.

• The USPS closed and consolidated 140 mail processing centers in 2012.

• Postal executives plan to close and consolidate an additional 82 in 2015.

• Postal management lowered service standards in 2012 and 2015 –virtually eliminating overnight delivery of first-class mail and periodicals and slowing mail delivery on all classes of mail throughout the country.

What about rural communities?

The USPS can’t walk away from unprofitable neighborhoods. Before the USPS can make significant changes to service, it must notify the citizenry and allow the people to offer input. Private businesses like Staples have no such responsibility. They have just one obligation: to make a buck for their shareholders. In 2014, Staples closed 170 stores.

No notice. No input. What if those stores had replaced the post offices in those neighborhoods? Who would serve the residents?

First class mail has declined, but online shopping and e-commerce are causing an explosion in package volume. Americans are using USPS to receive medicine, goods ordered online, local newspapers, catalogues, bills and newsletters.

A recent Gallup Poll found that Americans rate USPS highest among 13 government agencies. Nothing new there – the USPS routinely ranks at the top of such surveys.

Young people gave USPS the highest rating: 81 percent of 18-29 year olds gave the USPS “excellent or good” marks. Commentators have convinced many people that the future of USPS is bleak because young people consider it irrelevant, but this poll shows the opposite is true.

A recent study by the USPS Office of Inspector General reports on a host of innovative uses of the mail, including mail that connects with mobile devices; mail that embeds electronic components; and dimensional mail, which transforms mail pieces by using nontraditional ink, material or design.

• If it were a private-sector company, USPS would rank 43rd in the Fortune 500, with revenue of $67.8 billion in fiscal year 2014.

• In 2014, the USPS delivered more than 155 billion pieces of mail to 153.9 million addresses.

• In the first month of fiscal year 2015, letter volume increased by 7 percent and package volume increased by nearly 14 percent over the previous year.

• USPS processed 34.4 million changes of address in 2014 and forwarded mail at no cost to customers.

• How much did all this cost taxpayers?

Zero. That’s right, USPS is self-supporting; its revenue is generated by the sale of

UNION FARMER

postage and services.

But the USPS must change. This can take many forms: • Postal banking and/or expanded financial services, which would address an urgent social need and bring new revenue to the Postal Service, is an example; • Licensing and notary services; • Access to high-speed Internet service; • Longer hours at neighborhood post offices; • More staff at retail outlets to shorten lines; • Restore overnight delivery of first-class mail and periodicals.

The USPS belongs to the American people. Let’s ensure that it remains a vibrant, public Postal Service for generations to come! USPS is required by law to go everywhere and serve everyone. FedEx, UPS and other private couriers are not – and they don’t! In fact, the USPS delivers an average of 2.2 million packages for FedEx every day – approximately 30 percent of FedEx’s total U.S. ground volume. UPS doesn’t reveal the amount of business that it does with the USPS, but every indication is that it is substantial. Why? Because FedEx and UPS are in business to make money for their shareholders – and delivering urgent mail and packages to many areas simply isn’t profitable.

A December 2014 test by Consumer Reports shatters the myth that FedEx and UPS offer better service than the U.S. Postal Service, even in the locations they serve. USPS outscored its two private-sector competitors in convenience and reliability and was cheapest 92 percent of the time for next-day and secondday delivery. The USPS isn’t in business to make a profit. Its purpose is to serve the American people.

Article information comes from studies and publications on USPS by our USPS Postmaster Generals office and Interim Coordinating Committee of A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service* American Postal Workers Union - Katherine Isaac* National Coalition on Black Civic Participation – Melanie Campbell* National Association of Letter Carriers – Jim Holland * National Active and Retired Federal Employees – John Hatton * Public Citizen – Rob Weissman.

If you’re concerned about what is happening in the USPS, support your local USPS location by doing business there and contact our Congressional leadership, asking them to support improving the postal service, not diminish it. The Capital switchboard is (202) 224-3121.

God bless all you do!

Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union

MAY/JUNE 2015

19

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 Doug Hortness 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