This issue’s cover photo features one of summer’s best local foods…sweet corn! The photo is courtesy of Alice Henneman, University of Nebraska Extension educator and registered dietitian nutritionist. Alice is a talented photographer and has made her work available on Flickr under a Creative Commons license so you can use the photos any way you want. View/download here.
We’ll be digging in to local food and farm food safety during the August 7th Produce Farm Twilight Tour. Click HERE for details!
Photo credit: Alice Henneman
View the Summer 2017 Kontact on ISSUU.
Download a PDF of the Summer 2017 Kontact (1.8 MB)
July 2017
Hi, just a few comments, I don’t want to take up precious space in this Kontact with my ramblings…. Sean did a really good job reviewing our legislative session this year in Topeka. He does a really good job for us. One tidbit of gossip I want to share is that I heard through the grapevine that how the stalemate on budget and taxation issues, that stretched our session [...]
Join KFU & Friends for Farm Bill Listening Sessions
The working of our next farm bill is rapidly coming at us. The last farm bill, although well intended when passed, had its funding cut so much it was pretty much useless as a safety net as we have found out so glaringly as the farm economy has collapsed. We need a new farm bill. We need a new farm bill with teeth that has a strong safety net [...]
Bus Tour to Showcase Wichita-area Farms and Food Safety Management
By TOM PARKER Like most farmers, Tom Brown, co-owner of Meadowlark Farm outside of Wichita, takes a dim view of what he considers unnecessary government regulations meddling in his operation. One such piece of legislation is the Produce Safety Rule—the first mandatory federal standard for growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fresh produce. Published in Nov. 27, 2015, the rule is one of seven that comprise the Food Safety [...]
A Son’s Tribute: FINAL GIFT WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED
We recently lost a long-time active Farmers Union member, John Strunk. He was the president of the Sedgwick County Farmers Union and pretty much told everyone what he thought they needed to hear, and I never really knew for sure what that was. He kept his cards close to the vest. He was one of the Kansas delegates to national convention some years back and his vote likely was [...]
2017 Legislative Report
By SEAN GATEWOOD This was a very long session, it tied the record (114 days) the Legislature set in 2015. Clearly, the legislature came in with a very different makeup this year than what it had in the recent past. It was a completely different atmosphere and dynamic due to the large shift to more “moderate” Republicans and Democrats. This led to a series of public standoffs between the [...]
Washington Corner: July 2017
July 2017 The national farm economy is deteriorating, forcing many family farmers and ranchers to make tough financial decisions that will impact their families, communities, and the entire country. In response to these tough conditions, NFU and Farmers Union state divisions have initiated a national campaign to raise awareness for the current farm crisis. Unfortunately, President Trump’s proposed budget, which includes drastic cuts to agricultural and rural programs, would [...]
Amidst a Severe Economic Downturn for Farmers, Congress Must Create a Functional, Adequately Funded Farm Safety Net
As American family farmers and ranchers navigate the most severe economic downturn since the 1980s farm crisis, the National Farmers Union (NFU) Board of Directors is urging the U.S. Congress to allocate more money to the farm safety net to make it work for family agriculture. Family farmers and ranchers provide an essential service in growing high quality food, fiber, feed and fuel for the country; and agriculture serves as [...]
Telemedicine available for Farmers Union Members
The medical world is constantly changing. Technology now plays a big role in the medical domain and as doctors regularly look for better ways to treat people, technology has brought great advances to that field. Thanks to technological advancements such as telemedicine, you can obtain access to medical services or information that might normally be unavailable. Telemedicine has been around for over 40 years and is a rapidly growing [...]