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worked with MFU on a variety of projects related to climate change. Currently Adam represents Montana on the National Farmers Union Climate Advisory Panel. Q. Can you tell us about your background in agriculture and your family? I was lucky enough to be born into agriculture, like many MFU members, I suppose. My greatgrandparents homesteaded up on the Hi-Line, some 20+ miles north of Joplin and straight east of the Sweet Grass Hills. They were farmers, my grandparents were farmers, and my dad’s a farmer. I grew up playing and learning right alongside them. Although BY JUSTIN LOCH I’m not on the farm anymore I’m M E M B E R S H I P D I R E C TO R able to stay connected and loyal This month’s member profile to my farming roots by doing features member Adam Pimley. what I can to advocate for small A d a m ’s g r e a t - g r a n d p a r e n t s family farms. My wife and I have homesteaded on the Hi-Line been out in the Pacific Northwest north of Joplin. Adam has for the past few years. She’s from NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
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their effectiveness at the• Montana
ADAM PIMLEY
the area. I’ve been blessed to be able to continue my consulting work in Montana and around the western U.S. remotely and through plenty of windshield time. Before our twins were born, I could get back to Montana for about a week every month and a month or more every summer for harvest. It’s more challenging these days, but we’re all longing to get back to the land.
their effectiveness at the Montana Legislature. As a young staffer in the Governor’s Office, I watched Chris Christiaens work tirelessly for policies that would make a positive difference for farmers. Then I was lucky to reconnect with him in 2015 when we worked together to create some early climate change resources for members. We partnered with folks at MSU, UM, the USDA Climate Hubs, and others to release an Q. Please tell us about your economic report and host a series Farmers Union involvement of informational sessions around and your current work. the state. This included a session I think I became an MFU member in Bozeman with Montana farmer, after I moved away from the farm MFU member, and U.S. Senator and the Hi-Line. I honestly wasn’t Jon Tester. and profitable climatetoo aware of what MFU was all smart agricultural policies. about – beyond gas stations and C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 6 field tours – until I saw first-hand While haying last summer my baling tractor would randomly shut off. At first it would restart and go for hours before shutting off again. It stopped more frequently as haying progressed. I tried replacing fuel filters and tightening fuel lines and some electrical connections. The dealer said the service tech could not identify the problem because he needed to have the diagnostic equipment hooked up when it shut off. The dealer would not allow me to rent or buy the diagnostic equipment so I could identify the problem in the field. I eventually replaced the tractor with a 40 year old tractor in order
to finish haying and delivered my tractor to the dealer. Dealers are extremely busy during planting and harvest because often times they are the only ones who can repair the equipment. About a month later I got my tractor back. The cause of the break down was determined to be a faulty fuel sensor. The repair cost would be about $800 in parts and labor, but the total bill was about $5,000. They had to have someone operate the tractor for hours to get it to fault in order to diagnose the problem. Most new farm equipment utilizes an electronic control unit to control most of the functions. C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2