National Farmers Region 5 Conference promotes opportunity for young farmers

    Young faces. Bright minds. A conference focused on developing National Farmers' future leaders held in St. Joseph, Mo., Aug. 8-9 attracted more than 30 producers from Indiana to the Pacific Ocean.
     Designed to help invigorate member marketing activity and develop leadership in National Farmers Region 5, the event was made possible by a grant from the Institute for Rural America.
     "We want to bring along and help develop the ag leaders of tomorrow," said Cindy Fitterling, Institute for Rural America president. We want to help them learn skills as basic as parliamentary procedure to the big concepts of marketing in today's ag world. "The goal of course is to help these young producers move forward, where they can be leaders in their own community, and perhaps within National Farmers, too."
     And the importance of leadership was emphasized by the opening speaker of the conference, Missouri State Senator and former National Farmers director, Wes Shoemyer. "We're in a time in agriculture where we just can't keep on doing the same thing we've been doing," he said.
     Shoemyer became involved in advancing Missouri farmer interests because of the tough economic times many were experiencing in the late 90s. After reviewing the ag policy positions of all major Missouri ag organizations at the time, he found four issues of common agreement.
     "We held meetings around the state and focused on COOL, mandatory price reporting, discriminatory pricing and provisions that allowed for cooperative development and provided incentives for farmers to work together with new generation ag co-ops.
     "I saw a desperate need for something to happen in agriculture in the state of Missouri" he said.
     "I had a thousand farmers show up on the steps of the state capitol...I think I was more successful before I was elected, as far as getting all that legislation introduced and passed."
     "I don't believe I would have had the confidence to do what I do (as a Missouri State Senator) if it wasn't for the experience I received with NFO as a national board member," he said.
     It gave me that background and the confidence to know it was OK for me to step out there and make a difference.
     "The things you learn here.will serve each one of you well. It has served me well. It has given me a lot of opportunities, of which I am very thankful. Be a leader in your community."

Mattos urges involvement
     National Farmers Vice President Ron Mattos, Hanford, Calif., was keynote speaker for the conference dinner Aug. 8.
     "We in agriculture have a lot of responsibility on our operations, to produce the food and fiber for this nation," he said. We have got to have optimism, but we also have to be realists. The grain, cotton and alfalfa producer noted that consolidation and globalization are real factors, making it more challenging than ever to capture competitive prices.
     He noted the National Farmers programs in dairy, livestock, grain, specialty crops and risk management, and that the key to continued growth is to get even more producers involved.
     "A good number of the participants we had there were young people, and that was very encouraging, Mattos said. "They were really uplifted and they felt it was really something special. They said they learned a lot and you could just see it within them, they have that enthusiasm now."

Thornsberry talks Roberts Rules
     Dr. Max Thornsberry, R-CALF USA president, spoke about Roberts Rules of order and the role it plays in organizations business. "If you are going to be a leader of an organization, you have to have a background in parliamentary procedure," he said.
     It's important in maintaining decorum and order, and it can become a legal issue once you rise to positions of leadership within an organization.

Lorenz educates in grain
     Pete Lorenz, a National Farmers grain marketing representative, covered current market conditions and how they are affecting cash sales and risk management opportunities. He spoke about the outside influences in grain markets, and things producers can do on their own to deal with volatility. "And perhaps most importantly, when farmers work together they can have some control over what happens to their grain prices."

Food system examined
     Dr. Mary Hendrickson, Extension assistant professor at the University of Missouri, spoke about the global and consolidated food system, and the impact concentration will have on the future of domestic production.
     Hendrickson covered food retailing, and the role private equity has played in agriculture.
     "Consumers are increasingly worried about where their food is coming from, efforts addressing quality and safety is a quickly growing sector."
     She said when producers decide to move away from commodity livestock sales and into specialized markets, they should focus on producing high quality products, see that consumers pay more for that quality and safety, and make sure those consumers continue to eat that product and remain loyal to that brand.
     "I think there are a lot of opportunities, but farmers must position themselves right." "Relationships are key. We are not consumers; we are citizen eaters, and everyone needs to understand that."

Additional speakers inform
     Ken Schlottach, National Farmers livestock marketing representative, talked about issues in livestock marketing and contracting feeders and cull cows. Wind energy and water quality and rights issues were addressed by Bob Steins, Nodaway County Missouri Commissioner.
     Beverly Maltsburger, University of Missouri Extension Regional Community Development Specialist covered the sunshine law.


Cathy Griesbauer

    The conference was excellent, it was an excellent set-up of speakers. Your days were filled with very good information, they just kept everything rolling along.extremely good conference. I've been to several and this is by far the one of the top ones I've ever been to.

Harold Walker

    In Kansas in 2005, National Farmers provided a grant to the state of Kansas to conduct a young leaders conference and over a period of time has been incredibly successful. The result has been the three marketing units of our eight.the majority of the elected officers actually were attendees at that conference.

Nick Kleaving

    "I think it's great, it was kind of a last minute deal for us to come out here, but I'm really glad I came. A lot of interesting information, some things I wasn't even expecting to learn about, but was glad to hear about.

Theron Paulsen

    This really re-kindled the fire and we're ready to get after it now. I'm fired up about wanting to become a leader. I'd like to try to get more members involved at home and spread the word more.

Mark Manford

    I think every region of this country should do this, if Region 5 can pull it off as geographically diverse as we are, then everyone should be able to do one. It takes a lot of work, it's not easy but it's well worth the effort.

Pete Lorenz

    I've been around National Farmers, as well as other agricultural organizations for a long time, and it's a common problem with all organizations, the fact that we need to get more young leaders involved. The future is going to be theirs and not ours, and we need to work with them and show them how to take over the future.