Nebraska Farmers Union 108th Annual State Convention Passes Six Special Orders of Business

LINCOLN (December 9, 2021) – Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) held their 108th annual state convention in farm homes and offices across the state December 3rd using the ZOOM platform. The convention theme was: “108 Years of Leadership”.

NeFU also held their Policy Day November 23rd virtually. NeFU Vice President Vern Jantzen chaired the Policy Day where the Legislative Delegates from the counties considered the policy suggestions from the counties and spent the day examining and updating the state policy document. The Legislative Delegates recommended their amended and updated policy to the State Convention Delegates for final consideration and approval along with six Special Orders of Business that highlight the NeFU 2022 priorities. The Special Orders of Business included:

Special Order of Business on Ag Market Reforms that supports NFU “Fairness for Farmers” campaign on ag market reforms; President Biden’s historic Executive Order on Competition; Senator Fischer and Representative Bacon for voting for it; the return of Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling for all meats and dairy products; and all legislative efforts designed to fix our broken, concentrated and non-competitive ag supply and marketing systems.

Special Order of Business on the Passage of the Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill’s Broadband Expansion Section urging Governor Ricketts and the Legislature to take full advantage of this historic opportunity to improve broadband access and quality across the state; and to extend the Broadband Bridge act if necessary to establish a future facing affordable, dependable, accessible high speed internet statewide broadband system.

Special Order of Business on the Passage of the Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Transportation Section asking that Nebraska’s $2.5 billion of additional federal infrastructure funding be used to complete the long delayed Heartland Expressway project in western Nebraska, the Nebraska expressway system promised to Nebraskans three decades ago in 1988, and to replace unsafe and outdated state highway and county bridges.

Special Order of Business on Property Tax Relief urging State Senators to work together to dramatically reduce property taxes and use more sales and income taxes to fund K-12 schools; and Nebraska ag land and property owners to get and stay engaged in the legislative process to get a structural solution to a structural problem.

Special Order of Business on Net Metering urging the Legislature to increase the current 25 kw limit to 100 kw; allow multiple users to use aggregation to combine their systems; raise local system cap for net metering from 1% to 10%; and to use AC current as the standard to be measured for net metering system.

Special Order of Business on Hemp in Nebraska urging the Nebraska Department of Ag to administer the Nebraska Hemp Act consistent with the USDA Final Rule; streamline the licensing requirements; and to utilize federal infrastructure funding to increase and expand hemp processing.

–Nebraska Farmers Union