FARMER UNION
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FINDING FARMERS
Beginning farmers struggle with access to land, capital
INSIDE
Retiring farmer continues search for conservation-minded young producer
JULY 2021
GET TO KNOW A FARMERS UNION INSURANCE AGENCY
Brian Nieuwenhuis Agency I grew up in Garrison and graduated from Garrison High School in 1983. I attended NDSU in Fargo and acquired a Bachelors of Science in civil engineering in 1990. My dad, Lyle Nieuwenhuis, had a Farmers Union agency in Minot. In 1968, he moved our family from Minot to take over the Farmers Union agency in Garrison. My dad had a thriving book of business. He died very suddenly in May 1993. Friends of my dad suggested I apply to be an agent and pick up where dad left off. I was building a career as a civil engineer in Minneapolis at the time. I decided to go for it and applied for the job in July. By August of 1993, I moved back to Garrison and became a second-generation Farmers Union Insurance agent. The part I enjoy most about my job is the relationships and friendships that are built. Some of these relationships span generations. That is something I truly value. Each day is a new challenge and it’s never the same. I appreciate the opportunity to help my customers, even if it’s under not-so-great circumstances. Over my almost 30-year career in Garrison, I have been active in the Garrison Chamber of Commerce, Garrison Area Improvement Association, Garrison Ambulance District as an EMT and board member,
CANDISC, and Garrison Rural Water District board. I am active with Rebuilding Together in Bismarck/ Mandan and the Garrison Food Pantry. I married my wife Pam in 2013. Pam is a VP for First Western Bank in Bismarck. Between us, we have four beautiful daughters ranging in age from 18 to 23 and two golden retrievers. Our entire family is NDSU Bison fans. Pam and I are avid Crossfitters. I compete when I can in various regional competitions. My sisters, my daughters and I have been on three medical mission trips to Lima, Peru, over the past 15 years.
Brian Nieuwenhuis Agency 1 S Main Garrison ND 58540 PH: (701) 463-2436
UNION FARMER MAGAZINE Volume 68 • Number 7
The UNION FARMER is published monthly by North Dakota Farmers Union at 1415 12th Ave SE, Jamestown, ND 58401. EDITOR: Chris Aarhus 800-366-8331 ext. 118 caarhus@ndfu.org Annual subscription is $30 with membership. Periodicals postage paid at Fargo, ND. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: NDFU • PO Box 2136 Jamestown, ND 58402-2136 Copies mailed this issue: 34,257 • USPS 016-211
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS: President: Mark Watne • Vice President: Bob Kuylen • Secretary: Wes Niederman Treasurer: Ronda Throener • Bob Finken; Jon Iverson; Shane Sickler; Tyler Stafslien; Michelle Ziesch. 2 • July 2021 • Union Farmer
PARTICIPATION ESSENTIAL TO SELF-GOVERNMENT I was walking through a major hardware store several weeks ago. It is not unusual for someone to stop and talk to me about Farmers Union. This particular individual said, “Hey, you are that Farmers Union guy.” When I get this response there are many thoughts that race through my mind. I never know what the next question will be. It could be positive, negative or someone that simply recognized me from the Union Farmer. In this case, it was someone who recognized me from my picture in the Union Farmer. I asked the individual if he had read something that he liked or maybe disliked. I got an answer that I was not expecting. He simply said, “I really only look at the classifieds in the back and I am not really into that political stuff.” Currently, I am fortunate to be "the Farmers Union guy,” as far as a picture in the Union Farmer goes, but this statement is very inaccurate. In Farmers Union, all of our members are the “Farmers Union guy or gal.” This is what makes North Dakota Farmers Union great and successful. Our members participate and get involved in society. I can appreciate many individuals who find it convenient to try and avoid politics, as it can be challenging and disappointing. The theory that by ignoring this responsibility in a democracy means you are not part of the system of government is not true. In fact, by ignoring or maybe even not voting, you are supporting the prevailing side. This is OK if you agree with their positions but if not, you simply are empowering them as they assume you agree by not being vocal on the issues
you find important. The United States is a system of self-government which simply is a system in which the citizens of a country (or smaller political unit, such as a state) rule themselves and control their own affairs. We do select, by vote, representatives that make decisions for us in the larger setting. It is this process that we call political, and it is essential that each of us participate or we lose the concept of self-government. Farmers Union is similar to our selfgovernment. Those who show up and participate determine the policies and the actions that our organization works toward. I, as the current Farmers Union guy, strive to effectively achieve these policies and actions. This means working with the board and members, hiring an effective staff, developing projects, designing activities, representing the membership, overseeing our many businesses, and making the best day-to-day decisions for the greatest impact. I take this responsibility with great honor, and I am proud to represent our membership as the Farmers Union guy. With that said, I know all members of this organization are the Farmers Union guys and gals. I welcome any chance I may have to visit with people about Farmers Union. I was told by previous presidents that you never are not the president of Farmers Union. It is a 24/7 position. So, if you approach me and want to discuss Farmers Union, please be prepared to have me encourage you to take the time to participate in our organization and in society.
NDFU.org • July 2021 • 3
POLICY HOPPER FROM NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION
DROUGHT RESOURCES Livestock Forage Program (LFP)
LFP provides payments to offset grazing and forage losses caused by drought. Payments equal 60 percent of the monthly feed cost or carrying capacity of eligible grazing land. Producers may receive up to five months of payments, depending on the severity of drought conditions in their county. For more information, contact your county FSA office.
ND Drought Hotline and Interactive Map The North Dakota Drought Hotline and Interactive Map helps connect producers to available pasture, hayland or hay. To access the drought hotline, call 701-425-8454. The interactive map can be found at ndresponse.gov.
CRP Emergency Haying and Grazing
Emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres is authorized in areas affected by severe drought. Emergency grazing is currently allowed at 50 percent of normal carrying capacity. Emergency haying is not allowed until Aug. 1. North Dakota’s congressional delegation and Gov. Doug Burgum have requested early authorization of emergency haying, but no changes were made as of June 18. For more information, contact your county FSA office.
Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP) ELAP provides financial assistance to eligible livestock and honeybee producers for losses not covered by LFP. ELAP can be used to offset the additional costs of transporting water to livestock due to an eligible drought. For more information, contact your county FSA office.
Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) ECP provides emergency funding to implement water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. ECP provides cost-share payments of up to 75% of the cost to implement practices, including 25% through an advance payment. For more information, contact your county FSA office.
Emergency Farm Loan Program
The Emergency Farm Loan Program provides emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought. Funds may be used to replace or repair property, cover production costs, pay living expenses or refinance debts. The program is available statewide. For more information, contact your county FSA office.
Livestock Water Supply Assistance Program SAFETY The Livestock Water Supply Assistance Program MADE SIMPLE provides cost-share to livestock producers with water supply shortages caused by drought. Producers may qualify for up to $4,500 in assistance, for up to three projects. Eligible projects include new water wells, rural water system connections, pipeline extensions, pasture taps and associated works. A brochure and online application can be found on the State Water Commission website (swc.nd.gov).
4 • July 2021 • Union Farmer
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Ag groups working on marketplace issues A fter convening in Phoenix, Ariz., a diverse coalition of groups representing cattle producers announced their commitment to working together to achieve "a fair and transparent cattle marketing system." During the meeting, the organizations – National Farmers Union, American Farm Bureau Federation, R-CALF USA, the U.S. Cattlemen's Association, and the Livestock Marketing Association – discussed a wide variety of issues, including packer concentration, price transparency and discovery, packer oversight, Packers and Stockyards Act enforcement, level of captive supply, and packer capacity. There is ample evidence that lawmakers are interested in tackling many of these issues. In an effort to improve transparency in the market, Sens. Jon Tester and Chuck Grassley in March introduced the "50-14 bill," which would require larger meat processing facilities to purchase at least 50 percent of their weekly cattle on the open market. Along those same lines, Senators Deb Fischer and Rob Wyden introduced the Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021, which would improve price discovery and give producers more access to market information. It doesn't appear that concern about the issue has waned since then. Following the meeting, Sens. Mike Rounds and Tina Smith penned an open letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, highlighting the lack of competition in the cattle industry and urging him to "enforce or examine our antitrust laws to restore fairness to the marketplace."
USDA TO INTRODUCE STRONGER PROTECTIONS
Following multiple allegations and indictments of price fixing and other anticompetitive practices in the livestock sector, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicated its intention to propose a series of rules that would offer family famers and contract poultry growers greater agency and recourse in their relationships with corporations. The rules would amend regulations related to the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 which are meant “to assure fair competition and fair trade practices. . . and to protect members of the livestock, meat, and poultry industries from
unfair, deceptive, unjustly discriminatory and monopolistic practices,” but lack the teeth to achieve those objectives. For instance, corporations are prohibited from giving "undue or unreasonable preferences and advantages" to one farmer over another, but what that means is not clearly defined. Additionally, according to legal interpretations of the act, growers must prove that harm was done to the entire industry in order to sue for abusive practices. The rules would seek to rectify both issues by clarifying the meaning of “undue or unreasonable preferences and advantages” and by eliminating the requirement of competitive injury to allege a violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act. The third rule would restructure the “tournament system” of payment, which pits contract growers against one another and results in some being paid poverty wages. Since it was founded nearly 120 years ago, NFU has advocated mechanisms that prevent anticompetitive practices among corporations as well as stronger protections for farmers from those practices. In a statement, the organization highlighted the need for reform and welcomed USDA’s announcement, calling it a “strong step in the right direction.” After the rules are proposed, NFU will provide additional feedback to USDA.
USDA AIMS TO STRENGTHEN FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
In the wake of multiple food supply chain disruptions, USDA plans to spend more than $4 billion to build resilience to future crises. The new initiative targets each step in the food system, including production, processing, aggregation and distribution, and markets/ consumers. Among other goals, the agency says that the investment will "strengthen the food system, create new market opportunities, tackle the climate crisis, help communities that have been left behind, and support good-paying jobs throughout the supply chain." Specific details about how that will be achieved are expected to be revealed in the coming months; however, USDA did indicate that it will "address the shortage of small meat processing facilities" and "increase transparency and competition. . . in the livestock markets and the meat processing sector." NDFU.org • July 2021 • 5
NDFU holds grand opening for new camp North Dakota Farmers Union unveiled the new James River Farmers Union Camp on June 24 at the Jamestown Reservoir. The grand opening featured a ribbon-cutting event with the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce as well as an open house for the public. The event included public tours of the entire facility, food, a bouncy house and door prizes. The event did not make the publishing deadline for the July Union Farmer. Read the August edition for full coverage of the grand opening.
6 • July 2021 • Union Farmer
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Early weaning can Rainfall is one of the most important factors that influence management decisions on the ranch, according to North Dakota State University Extension livestock specialists. This year is no different because most of North Dakota is experiencing severe dry weather. Drought conditions drive management of native pasture, crop residue and cover crop acres. Typically, even with good moisture during mid to late summer, the nutritional value of native pasture is in decline. This decline is accelerated under dry conditions. “Early weaning is one of the management decisions that can help reduce pressure on native pastures and extend forage supplies for adult beef cows,” says Janna Block, Extension livestock systems specialist at NDSU’s Hettinger Research Extension Center. “Early weaning simply means weaning calves at an earlier age to reduce forage usage while not compromising calf health and performance.” Dairy calves often are weaned as early as eight weeks of age. This is achieved through proper nutrition with feeds that promote rumen development. This enhances the development of the rumen so the calf can survive very well without the nursing milk diet. From the standpoint of feed efficiency, feeding calves directly is more efficient than feeding cows to sustain milk production. Beef calves can be early weaned successfully from 60 to 150 days of age. Most producers notice that nursing calves also
will consume forage, whether through grazing or being fed harvested forages. Research shows that early weaned cows will consume as much as 35% to 45% less forage than normally weaned cow-calf pairs. Early weaning typically results in improved body condition of dams due to decreased nutrient requirements. A cow weighing 1,400 pounds would require about 16 pounds of energy (total digestible nutrients, or TDN) and 2.5 pounds of crude protein (CP) on a daily basis in late lactation. This same cow’s requirements would decrease to 12 pounds of TDN and 1.7 pounds of protein after weaning. In addition, water requirements would decrease by about 55% to 60%. “It is important to distinguish between early weaning and creep feeding based on the goals of each strategy,” says Zac Carlson, Extension beef cattle specialist. “Creep feeding is the act of providing supplemental feed to nursing calves,” he notes. “The primary goal of creep feeding is to increase weaning weight of calves. While creep feeding may result in some substitution of forage for creep feed, it does not reduce nursing pressure on cows. Therefore, this practice will not provide the same forage savings and increases in cow condition that can be gained from early weaning.” Early weaning should not compromise calf health and it should enhance performance. The key to successful early weaning is to treat groups
help with drought of calves as unique. Weaning by pasture group is preferred, with no commingling of other groups after weaning for at least 45 days. Even though all calves have been born and raised on the same ranch, the pasture group is the stable unit as it relates to shared organisms and social pecking order. “If weaning includes commingling all pasture groups at the same time into a common weaning pen or pasture, be prepared to begin treating calves for respiratory disease 10 to 14 days postweaning,” says Gerald Stokka, Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist. Alternatively, make provisions to bring all cows and calves together such that the social order and shared organisms of calves can be re-established prior to the stress of weaning. The more space that is provided (i.e., pasture weaning), the less the pressure on re-establishing social structure and the less transmission of organisms during this stressful time.” Other potential risk factors may influence health at this time as well. Lack of passive immunity, temperature fluctuations, heat stress, nutritional stress prior to weaning, dusty pens and handling stress may impact the healthy transition to weaning negatively. The lack of adequate passive transfer of immunity from the birth mother to the calf increases the risk of postweaning death. Temperature fluctuations may compromise
the normal respiratory defense mechanisms of calves, as do heat stress and dusty pen conditions. Dry conditions may result in nutritional stress prior to weaning, so make sure that appropriate protein, energy, and mineral supplements are provided prior to and after weaning. If calves need processing, such as for vaccinations or deworming, do it early in the morning or delay processing until temperatures moderate. Processing can be done at the time of weaning; however, only products that benefit the animal at weaning and do not compromise the immune response should be used. Processing done at least three weeks prior to early weaning is preferred and provides the opportunity to administer booster doses postweaning if necessary. Facilities may need some remodeling if weaning calves that are significantly smaller than normal. Calves become adept at finding ways to return to their dams or at least escaping the weaning facility. Because smaller and younger calves may have difficulty competing for feed and water, sorting them into several pen groups based on size and age may be necessary. “Early weaning is a management tool that can significantly reduce forage and water demand,” Block says. “In addition, with proper preparation, calf health and performance are not compromised.” Article courtesy of NDSU Ag Communications
Farmers Union
CAMP
GRADES 3-6 (4 DAYS, 3 NIGHTS)* – $149 GRADES 7-12 (5 DAYS, 4 NIGHTS)* – $199 *Grade youth will have completed by the end of the school year
JUNIOR CAMPS GRADES 3-6
HEART BUTTE ~ near Elgin July 5-8 — STATEWIDE
SENIOR CAMPS
July 12-16 – JAMES RIVER, GRADES 7-12 July 26-30 – HEART BUTTE, GRADES 10-12 July 26-30 – JAMES RIVER, GRADES 7-9 Aug. 9-13 – JAMES RIVER, GRADES 10-12
July 12-15 — BURLEIGH, SHERIDAN July 19-22 — BILLINGS/GOLDEN VALLEY, DUNN, MCLEAN, MERCER, MCKENZIE, OLIVER, STARK
JAMES RIVER ~ near Jamestown July 5-8 — BENSON, CAVALIER, EDDY, FOSTER, GRAND FORKS, GRIGGS, NELSON, PEMBINA, PIERCE, RAMSEY, ROLETTE, STEELE, TOWNER, TRAILL, WALSH, WELLS July 16-19 — STATEWIDE July 19-22 — EMMONS, KIDDER, LAMOURE, LOGAN, MCINTOSH, STUTSMAN July 30-Aug. 2 — STATEWIDE Aug. 2-5 — BARNES, CASS, DICKEY, RANSOM, RICHLAND, SARGENT
Register now at ndfu.org!
Around the state
Emmons County Farmers Union and Farmers Union Insurance agent Aaron Stuckle held a Dairy and Ag Day event in Linton that featured a question and answer session with NDFU President Mark Watne. Kids watched a 3D printing demonstration among other activities with NDFU Membership Director Jessica Haak and Member Relations Specialist Chelsey Jacobson.
Ward County Farmers Union held a ladies craft night June 3 in Ryder.
Bowman/Slope County Farmers Union held an EPIC day class event May 22 with the help of camp counselor Michaela Fischer.
PEMBINA COUNTY FARMERS UNION IS LOOKING FOR AN
EPIC COACH! PEMBINA COUNTY FARMERS UNION WILL PAY UP TO $500 A YEAR PLUS INCENTIVES TO HOLD AN EPIC CLASS FOR YOUTH & OTHER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. TRAINING & SUPPORT PROVIDED BY NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION STATE OFFICE.
INTERESTED? Call Bri Sorensen at 701-952-1404 for information.
12 • July 2021 • Union Farmer
A farmer beginning
After losing father in auto accident, Sherlock turns tragedy into triumph BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU
Justin Sherlock fell in love with the big city until tragedy struck. He was working as the Assistant to the President of National Farmers Union in Washington, D.C., in 2012, when he got the call that his father had died in an automobile accident. “I knew, within the first few seconds of Mom calling and telling me, that I was moving home,” he said. Walking away from the city, Justin took over his family’s farm in the WimbledonCourtenay area, where he continues to operate. As a young beginning farmer, he faced many of the same obstacles known to get in the way of transitioning America’s farms and ranches to the next generation – access to land and capital. His father, Jarrod, had spent his early years working for a farmer before branching out on his own. Though he rented most of the land he farmed, Jarrod had been fortunate to get into farming in the early 2000s and had worked his way to success with good prices by the end of the decade. “The farmer my dad worked for gave him the opportunity to start renting land and machinery from him those first couple years,” Justin said. “It was a gracious opportunity. The farmer didn’t have to give
him that chance, but he did, and my dad was a really hard worker. That’s how my dad started farming.” Justin, who gave as much credit to his mom and her off-farm career as a nurse in supporting a beginning operation, said his parents were helped by “a good 10-year period in farming.” “It was a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck,” Justin said. “They were a good team together.” But after Jarrod’s death, Justin made the decision to take over the farm, something he believed would have taken possibly another decade at least, as his father was essentially still a beginning farmer. “I had hoped there would be room for me in the future,” he said. Justin moved home toward the end of harvest in 2012, a bountiful season with nearrecord prices, which Justin said made a big difference. “Good prices and yields that year,” he said. “Thankfully, there were resources there to cover the bills and get a lot sorted out.” He remembers the kindness of friends and business partners during that time, something he won’t soon forget, as he was trying to figure out which direction to go with his own life. CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE
Justin Sherlock, left, of Dazey listens to a question during policy and action discussion at the National Farmers Union convention in March 2019 in Savannah, Ga. Sherlock served on NFU's Policy and Action Committee.
“With the outpouring of support from neighbors, we didn’t have to worry about figuring out machinery or lining up harvest,” he said. “It was just done. I just had to take care of some of the marketing stuff with the elevators. It’s why I like living in North Dakota.” In his first spring of farming, Justin recalled struggling immensely, with his grandfather by his side to help him through it. “Looking back now, I don’t know how we got that crop in that first year,” he said. “We just did whatever we had to do and got it done.” Justin, in his ninth year and technically still a beginning farmer for two more years, is looking at loans to purchase the family’s land from his mother. He plans on utilizing a USDA beginning farmer loan program to do that. He said Bank of North Dakota’s Beginning Farmer Chattel Loan program helped him purchase some equipment to get going (he was able to borrow the rest of the equipment from neighbors). “That let me buy the equipment from mom at a reasonable rate,” he said. “(BND) assumed some of
the risk so my bank could give me the loan. That really helped me a lot. (BND) has a lot of good resources. (Farm Service Agency) does as well.” As it often does, commodity prices dropped significantly from their highs in 2012-13, which Justin said made it difficult to keep going on the farm. “I didn’t expect it to fall off the cliff as fast and hard as it did,” he said. “By year three, we were in the worst prices we’d seen in seven or eight years. “But I didn’t come home to make a bunch of money. If you’re looking just to make money, there are a lot easier ways that are a lot less stressful and less hard on your body and emotional wellbeing than farming. I do it because I love it. It’s rewarding to see the fruits of your labor." He ended up befriending a local farmer who has paired with him to share equipment and other costs. “Les and Diane Koll, they have been great,” he said. “I’m really fortunate. I probably wouldn’t be farming today had I not ended up working with them.”
Sherlock has taken every bit of farming education he can get, utilizing programs within North Dakota Farmers Union and the American Soybean Association to get better at his craft. He is currently on the board of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association. He said the task for young farmers is to make sure they’re connecting with established operators to be first in line when any opportunities come about. “Farming in small communities is super competitive when it comes to land access,” he said. “We need to get over that lack of communication. If you’re a retiring farmer, you need to put it out there that you want a young person to farm your ground, and you might have to be a mentor and help them.” Secondly, Sherlock said finding business partners that can be trusted is essential. “Develop those relationships because you need those people,” he said. “Don’t do it on your own. I rely on a marketing person, a crop consultant and my banker. It’s a two-way discussion. North
Dakota also has an adult farm learning program. I was involved with that for a couple of years. That really teaches you to hone in and dial in your numbers.” Sherlock said beginning farmers simply can’t do it on their own. Like him, don’t be afraid to ask for help, he said. “I got really lucky without Dad there,” he said. “I found other family that may not be family by blood, but I wouldn’t have been able to keep going without them. I probably would have thrown in the towel had it not been for working with some of these guys that have the experience in the tougher times. I was able to lean on their guidance.”
Resources USDA: New Farmers https://newfarmers.usda.gov/ Beginningfarmers.org https://www.beginningfarmers.org/ Bank of North Dakota https://bnd.nd.gov/ag/ NDFU.org • July 2021 • 15
16 • June 2021 • Union Farmer
A FARMER RETIRING Carlson continues search for conservationminded couple to take over his family farm BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU
Mike Carlson grabs the chain he put around a split tree in the front yard of his family farm, making sure it’s secure enough to stop any further damage from North Dakota’s relentless wind. The tree, having been part of his family farm for generations, he’s not willing to let it go without a fight. “We’ll see if she makes it.” The conservation-minded Carlson has a strong love of trees, noting, “You can’t overemphasize the value of shelter belts. Without the trees, this wind will blow you away.” Now over 70, Carlson has cattle but rents out his farmland. He and his wife Susan are looking to retire and sell their farm northwest of Garrison within the next three years. However,
Carlson has a preference – he’d like to find a younger, conservation-minded producer to take over his family’s farm. Finding that buyer has proven to be difficult, however. One-third of America’s 3.4 million farmers are over the age of 65, according to USDA data. Furthermore, almost a million more are within a decade of that age. It's a reality Carlson understands, so he’s willing to be flexible, as long as they value conservation. “I don’t need the highest price,” he said. “I would sell to a good, younger couple at a lower price if they were responsible and shared my values and vision (for conservation), but there are just not a lot of young guys around.” CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE
A grove of trees across the road from Mike Carlson's farm stands as the last remains of a family farm from nearly 90 years ago. Carlson said it's one of four groves within eyesight of his home that used to be home to a family farm.
Carlson’s grandfather August homesteaded the family farm in 1902 after emigrating from Sweden. He arrived at Fort Stevenson via steamboat on the Missouri River, walking the rest of the way to the farm’s current location. “He carried a stove on his back for a good 20 miles to here,” Carlson said. “I’ve still got the stove in the garage. It’s a tiny, metal stove – heavier than hell.” August and his siblings homesteaded in the region, with the exception of one brother who instead went to Alaska to mine for gold. “He sent back a few postcards and then nobody ever heard from him again,” he said. “We never knew what happened to him, but a lot of people went up there looking for gold.” Mike’s father, Arnold, took over the farm after August’s death from prostate cancer during The Great Depression. Arnold ran the farm until around 10 years ago.
CAREER
Growing up, Mike attended Farmers Union camps yearly, earning the prestigious Torchbearer Award. He earned a trip to National Farmers Union’s All-States Leadership Camp in Colorado and worked as a camp counselor after high school. He played college basketball at NDSU-Bottineau while getting a degree in
18 • July 2021 • Union Farmer
forestry. “Later on in life, I found that to be very useful, especially working with shelter belts,” Carlson said. He went to the University of Montana in Missoula to get a degree in natural resource conservation, a topic his family had instilled in him as important in the life of a farmer/rancher. “(Our family) had won some conservation awards for planting trees and diversification,” Carlson recalled. “And I did some conservation stuff with 4-H. I saw the example my dad had set.” But instead of coming home to take over the family farm, Carlson continued in conservation, eventually working for the Natural Resources Conservation Service for more than 30 years. “I didn’t come back to the farm because it was the 1980s,” he said. “Interest rates were terrible.” He wound up in eastern Montana at the forefront of the no-till and pulse crop movements, though he returned to help on the farm in the spring and fall annually until he took it over 10 years ago.
CONSERVATION
Carlson is steadfast in his belief that he’ll find a young couple who shares his love for conservation, diversification and the family
farm. He believes “mega-farms” tend to move away from conservation, choosing to maximize tillable acres in an effort to increase the bottom line. Carlson said it’s been his experience that small- and medium-sized farms are more likely to participate in conservation programs. “Marginal lands get broken up (on megafarms), because these farmers paid a very high price for the land – it takes your breath away what some of this land is going for,” he said. “It is not uncommon to see 100-year-old shelter belts bulldozed to gain a few more acres. Sod busting of native pasture continues unabated despite the restrictions of the 1985 farm bill. The old milk cow pasture, with its rocks and hills, is fair game to gain more acres. All of this land, despite being marginal, adds to the overproduction of crops and further drives down prices. Highly erodible cropland still has the same cost of production as good soils and will never achieve the profitability of better land over time.” In his desire to find buyers, Carlson came up with a set of principles he feels are integral to transitioning America’s farms to the next generation: • A willing seller or family that believes that a small- or medium-sized operation can be transitioned to a new generation of producers.
• A family farm willing to sell an operation as a unit instead of splitting it up. • An established family operation and a young family willing to find common ground on pricing and financing from a variety of new and existing sources such as local banks, Bank of North Dakota or USDA. • A joint philosophy between seller and purchaser on the management of a farm or ranch, and shared conservation strategies and respect for the practices and improvements done in the past. • Joint long-term cooperation and a belief that helping a new farmer/rancher get started on the land is important and is the right thing to do for our community, state and the land. • Look into tax benefits, existing or new, that might help both buyer and seller in a transition. Finding a young couple that shares many of these same beliefs won’t be easy, Carlson acknowledges, but he believes it’s still worth trying. “We’re at a tipping point with the age of these farmers – I know I’ve got to do something soon,” he said. “I would just dearly love to see a young family here with kids going to school. “I have a deep attachment to this land, and I’m an optimist. I truly feel agriculture has a great future.”
Cement your legacy at The North Dakota Farmers Union Foundation invites you to become a permanent part of the new Farmers Union Camp by purchasing a personalized engraved brick paver that will forever be part of the new camp location. This is an easy way to leave a lasting legacy, and at the same time, donate to the new Farmers Union Camp.
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20• •January June 2021 2021 • Union • Union Farmer Farmer 6
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Payment can be made with cash, credit card, check or directly on our website at ndfu.org. Scroll to the bottom and click on the ad! To order by phone, contact Heidi Sagaser at 1-701-952-0102. Please consider making this donation to support the North Dakota Farmers Union Foundation! NDFU.org • January 2021 • 7
CLASSIFIEDS
BALER, New Holland 664 baler, good condition. 701-376-5296, William Hourigan, Lemmon, S.D.
Ads must be submitted through the online form at www.ndfu.org. Click “Classifieds” at the very bottom of ndfu.org and fill out the online form. Ads must be re-submitted each month. No exceptions! Deadline is the 15th of every month. Limit 75 words. MEMBERSHIP DUES MUST BE CURRENT!
CULTIVATOR, 8 row Koehn S-tine row crop cultivator, 3 pt. hitch, adjustable row widths, stand, sway discs on both ends. 701-659-8238, Glen Nagel, Jamestown.
FARM EQUIPMENT
‘M’ TRACTORS; Two International M tractors. Run good - good rubber. For sale or willing to trade for old car or pickup in the 20's or 30’s,vintage. -302-0037, Roger L. Westby, New Rockford.
FOR SALE CASE IH COMBINE, 1688 Case IH Combine, field ready with 25 ft straight header and trailer. Also has a pickup header. Call for more information. 701-2550677, Ronald Fricke, Baldwin. CULTIVATOR, Wil-rich cultivator with harrows, 22 ft, $500. 701-527-9530, Larry Berger, Hazen. POST DRIVER, 3-pointed #3 Shaver post driver; 7x41 ft Farm King grain auger, very good condition; 8-row heavy duty field cultivator with wings, 4 inch hydraulic cylinder and hose; Walk behind Jari mower. 701-626-1492, Leo Thomas, Velva. T-POSTS, 200 used 5 ½ ft, steel T posts. 701-349-5355, 701-830-8011, Kenneth Kellog, Monango. COMBINE, 2002 JD 9650 STS combine with pickup header. $16,000 in recent parts and updates. Asking $32,000. Call for more information and pictures. 701-626-1701, Roger Myers, Voltaire. CANOLA ROLLER; Pickup topper fits 8 foot box; Green water tank 1600 gal.; Blumhardt Pickup sprayer, for parts; Farm king Auger 60 ft, 10 in. side delivery. Needs bearing at end of Auger; 15 gallon slury tank for mixing chemicals. 701-263-1206, Lathan Romsos, Bottineau. TRACTOR TIRES, good shape, 16/9; x30 hay rake; 12 ft trolling motor, 10 hp. 701247-2264, Harold Severson, Lakota. CHISEL PLOW, JD #100 16 ft; 4 row corn cultivator, 3pt; 1400 bu. Columbian grain bin, steel floor, easy to move; 400 Versatile swather 18 ft with cab and cooler. 701-4834825, Richard Jablonsky, Dickinson. KIRSCHMAN DRILL, 12 ft; 4 Btm. Pony & Packer; 15-30 McCormick tractor, 1 new tire LT245-75R-Load Range E, 2 new P235-705-15; One David Bradly metal grain box, like new 1905 JD metal corn sheller; 4-wheel steel running gear; 1 covered wagon running gear; One small square bale buncher; Saddle and 2 bridles. Email: larryn@westriv.com. 701-597-3730, Larry Nagel, Shields. CASE IH TRACTOR, 165 Puma FWA, CVT tran, L765 Case IH loader & grapple fork, 324 hrs; Case IH 75A Farmall FWA w/540 loader, 3pt blade, no cab, 205hrs; used Case IH 8230 feeder chain; Antique pump jack/wooden lift arms; farm scale/steel wheels; Lincoln electric grease gun; Simer water pump; combine pickup guards/lifters; Kawasaki generator KG 1500B; several hopper bins; IH Cadet 75 & 68 JD w/ bagger riding mowers, both run. 701-6299003, Doug Halden, Stanley. 22 • July 2021 • Union Farmer
1460 IH COMBINE, 3600 hours 24 ft. Cut; Header with finger reels, new transport, new sickle, very good condition (both always in building storage). 701-225-3516, Robert Lefor, Lefor.
WANTED TRACTORS, IH 806 on up ; JD 4520, 4620, 5010, 5020, 6030 others; MM; 1000 on up. all Olivers 1963 on up; AC 210, 229, D-21, others. Repairables too. 701-6282130, Jerry Lumley, Stanley. HEAVY DUTY HEAD, for Allis Chalmers sickle mower, #82T or complete mower. 701-626-1492, Leo Thomas, Velva. FENCE REPAIR, to help with a 3-barbed wire fence with steel posts immediately. Email: larryn@westriv.com. 701-597-3730, Larry Nagel, Shields.
MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE MOTORHOME, 1993 Cobra by Monterey Motorhome, sleeps 6, runs good, serious inquiries only. 701-391-0687, Margi Engelter, New Salem. UPHOLSTERY MACHINES, commercial machine, $295; Smaller machine with cabinet, $175. 701-685-2269, Pauline Bergman, Jud. PATIO DOOR, Anderson 6 ft sliding patio screen door, used one week, new $450/ used $200 still in box; 2 flip top school desks, nice condition, $10 each; One student classroom chair, free. 701-6426509, Merle Rubish, Wahpeton. ANTIQUE PLANTER, 1940/50's era potato planter. All working parts. Pics available. $175/OBO. We are landscaping and need gone asap! Text 701-388-2339, Brenda Crawford, Fargo.
WANTED USED PICKUP; Good electric golf cart; pump .22 rifle or single shot; lever action deer rifle. 701-628-2130, Jerry Lumley, Stanley. CAMPER, scamp brand or similar single axle fiberglass camper. Can be a project. But must be a fiberglass shell. 701-6801079, Dylan Ekstrom, Forman. OLD STUFF, machinery and tractor advertising signs or oil cans like John Deere, IH, Case, MM, Oliver; ND license plates, car, truck, motorcycle. Old gas pumps, old metal oil cans, Advertising clocks, thermometers. Crocks or jugs that have store names on them. ND metal tokens or ND picked arrowheads. Paying cash, I will travel. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.
PRAIRIE DOG HUNTERS to come & hunt on my land. Make reservations now. Email: larryn@westriv.com. 701-597-3730, Larry Nagel, Shields.
HEALTH WANTED KIDNEY DONOR NEEDED, blood type O. 701-952-1114, Judy Yetterboe, Jamestown.
Do you know a member who does something interesting or unique? Let us know! We may feature them in the Union Farmer! Contact Editor Chris Aarhus at caarhus@ndfu.org or 701-952-0118
Visit nfu.org to learn more UNITED TO GROW FAMILY AGRICULTURE
The Farmer’s Share Did you know that farmers and ranchers receive only 14.3* cents of every food dollar that consumers spend?
According to the USDA, off farm costs including marketing, processing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing account for more than 80 cents of every food dollar spent in the United States.
Bacon
Retail: Farmer:
$5.33 $1.02
Bread
Retail: Farmer:
Retail: Farmer:
$4.99 $0.08
Retail: Farmer:
$2.99 $0.37
1 gallon, fat free
1 lb.
$2.99 $0.16
Retail: Farmer:
$3.99 $0.14
Beer
Retail: Farmer:
Retail: Farmer:
6-pack cans
$3.99 $2.23
Flour
King Arthur, 5 lbs.
Retail: Farmer:
$1.99 $0.85
Retail: Farmer:
$2.29 $0.50
1 lb.
Retail: Farmer:
Fresh Potatos
Soda
Retail: Farmer:
Retail: Farmer:
Retail: Farmer:
$2.49 $0.74
Russet, 5 lbs.
$6.99 $1.08
@NFUDC
/nationalfarmersunion
$8.99 $1.02
2 liters
Farmer’s share derived from USDA, NASS “Agricultural Prices,” 2021. | Prices based on April 2021 data. Retail prices based on Safeway (SE) brand except where noted. | *Figure according to U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service
/nationalfarmersunion
$9.99 $0.05
Boneless Ham
Fresh Apples 1 lb.
$3.69 $1.58
Fresh Carrots 5 lbs.
1 dozen
Milk
Lettuce
2 lbs.
Eggs
1 lb.
18 oz. box
Retail: Farmer:
$9.99 $1.90
Tomatoes
Cereal
Retail: Farmer:
Top Sirloin Steak 1 lb.
1 lb.
$0.99 $0.08
June 3, 2021 nfu.org/topics/blog
National Farmers Union | 20 F Street NW, Suite 300 | Washington, DC 20001 P: (202) 554-1600 | F: (202) 554-1654 | www.NFU.org | info@nfudc.org
To those who have already donated ...
THANK YOU! FOR YOUR GENEROUS GIFT TO THE NDFU FOUNDATION
Donations of more than $1,000 are recognized at the state office on the NDFU Donor Recognition Wall. Giving levels include: COBALT – $1,000 to $4,999 BRONZE – $5,000 to $14,999 GOLD – $15,000 and above.
MAIL DONATIONS TO: NDFU Foundation P.O. Box 2136 Jamestown ND 58402 Please note if the gift is in honor of someone. For more information, contact Lucy Bardell at 701-952-0114 or lbardell@ndfu.org.
Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America, ND Division
PERIODICALS – POSTAGE PAID
1415 12th Ave SE PO Box 2136 Jamestown, ND 58402
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This year’s crop… It’s your livelihood for today and tomorrow. Planning every last detail to get the most from your crop should include multi-peril crop insurance. We can help. We know farming. Home Auto Crop Life Health Business Farm & Ranch
• • • • • • •
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