The Fall Fly-In: Grassroots at it’s Best

September 20, 2016 – By #South Dakota Farmer Union Every year South Dakota Farmers Union takes a group of members to Washington D.C., into the heart of political action in the U.S. There on Capitol Hill, members join forces with fellow Farmers Union members from across the country in an effort to advocate on behalf of family farmers and ranchers. During the annual fly-in, members build relationships and the get the opportunity to meet and hear from prominent figures like U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and numerous members of Congress. However, it’s not just about the experiences the member’s receive. They also have an incredible impact on those they meet with. It seems almost clich�, but when farmers and ranchers share their first hand experiences it really makes a difference to Congressmen and Congresswomen, as well as their staff on the Hill. Every day those staffers and legislators are given pages and pages of facts and figures outlining the state of U.S. agriculture. Yet it’s you, the farmer or rancher, that put’s a face and a name to those realities. 

   This year Farmers Union members took to the Hill to talk about a number of issues that are affecting South Dakota’s number one industry. A big part of the discussion centered on the rapid decline of farm income due to the low commodity prices. We talked about the future of safety net programs, subsidies in crop insurance, and a number of other things that will affect the future of the farm economy in the U.S. Farmers and ranchers also aired concerns about the rapid consolidation currently taking place in agriculture. While agriculture is already heavily consolidated, mergers like that of Dow/DuPont, ChemChina/Syngenta and Bayer/Monsanto further threaten competition and innovation in the ag sector. In our meetings with legislators and their staff, we asked these mergers be fully investigated and evaluated in order to determine the impact they will have on farmers and ranchers. I would like to believe that these conversations will stick in the minds of the members of Congress when the Senate Judicial Committee begins questioning the executives of the major corporations involved in the recent mergers. Sometimes it is far too easy to get caught up in all of the noise and controversy. Some will complain and show concern from the sidelines. Yet, when you are surrounded by people who want to make a positive difference, it’s infectious. Whether it’s events like the Fly-in in D.C., Legislative Day in Pierre, 30-for-30, or other constructive events, the people that actually show up are truly “United to Grow Family Agriculture” and that’s what Farmers Union is all about.

Last Modified: 09/20/2016 2:28:19 pm MDT