Union Farmer - October 2024 by North Dakota Farmers Union

OCTOBER 2024 • ndfu.org

EXPANSION

Ray Farmers Union Elevator continues growth, set to nearly triple fertilizer capacity

I grew up on a family farm in Westby, Mont., and attended college at Dickinson State University. My wife Jamie's job moved us to Grand Island, Neb., where I started my career with Farmers Union Insurance in 2005. In 2007, we decided to move back to North Dakota to raise our family, and we landed in Washburn, where I became the agent. We have three children: Mya (17), Brady (15) and Kale (13). They're all very active in sports, which keeps us extremely busy. When we do have free time, our family enjoys working with our horses or going to the lake.

I have been an agent for 19 years. What I love most about what I do is being able to provide solutions for people when they have a problem or before they have a problem. Everybody has a need for insurance and finding what that need is and providing them the correct coverage and protection is very important. Being able to provide that for customers within my community and building

relationships is very rewarding. In my spare time, I coach elementary and junior high boys basketball, serve as president at Painted Woods Golf Course, serve on the TruCommunity Bank board, and help out with Washburn youth sports when I can.

• USPS 016-211

Strong cooperatives follow cooperative principles

Cooperatives have stood the test of time and remain an opportunity for the future. I like to describe a cooperative as a self-help tool where people organize to enhance services, markets and supplies that may not be provided in a timely or economical manner.

Cooperatives can also be a business tool for adding value to products and services with profits returned in the form of patronage to the owner/members that do business with the cooperative.

USDA defines a cooperative as a business owned and democratically controlled by the people who use its services and whose benefits are derived and distributed equitably on the basis of use.

USDA further states that cooperatives resemble other businesses in many ways. They have similar physical facilities, perform similar functions and must follow sound business practices. They are usually incorporated under state law by filing articles of incorporation, which grants them the right to do business. The organizers draw up bylaws and other necessary legal papers. Members elect a board of directors. The board sets policy and hires a manager to run the day-to-day operations.

But in some ways, cooperatives are distinctly different from other businesses. These differences are in the cooperative’s purpose, its ownership and control, and how benefits are distributed.

Most successful early cooperatives developed an active outreach and education program. They also prepared a written list of practices and policies that seemed consistent with their success. This list became a set of cooperative principles:

• Open membership

• One member, one vote

• Cash trading

• Membership education

• Political and religious neutrality

• No unusual risk assumption

• Limitation on the number of shares owned

• Limited interest on stock

• Goods sold at regular retail prices

• Net margins distributed according to patronage

People buy stock in a non-cooperative business to make money on their investment. The more stock in a company you own, the more benefits (stock appreciation and dividends) you will realize, if the business succeeds.

The benefits of being a cooperative member differ in two ways. First, the advantages are more numerous. Second, they are distributed based on how much use you make of the cooperative, rather than your equity stake.

Members are the foundation of any cooperative. They organized it. Their needs are the reason for its existence. Their support, through patronage and capital investment, keeps it economically healthy. And their changing requirements shape the cooperative’s future.

Members also have general responsibilities toward their cooperative. Unlike the passive investor in a general business corporation, the member-owner-user of a cooperative must patronize and guide the venture for it to succeed.

It is important as a member of a cooperative to be informed about the cooperative. Members can obtain information through annual meetings, reports and newsletters, and from talking to the manager, staff, directors and other members. To effectively exercise their right of ownership, a member needs a good understanding of the present situation and projected future operations.

We have strong cooperatives that need to remember the cooperative principles, and work to educate each new generation of members as they begin to patronize the existing cooperative, step us as leaders in the cooperative and consider new value opportunities for the cooperative.

'Edge of technology' 'Edge of technology'

Enerbase's new store in Minot provides patrons with cashier-less experience

Story /photos by

Chris Aarhus, NDFU Editor

Walk

into a store. One quick tap. Grab what you want. Leave.

Not long ago, it seemed like something out of a science fiction movie. For the patrons of Enerbase Cooperative Resources in Minot, it’s reality.

In September, Enerbase went live with its cashier-less model, utilizing Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology at its newly renovated Broadway location. Customers simply walk in, tap their credit/debit card, grab what they want and leave.

Enerbase CEO Ricky Aberle said the idea came from similar concepts at baseball stadiums, as some are using the model to get customers in and out quicker and cut down on labor costs.

“We called up Amazon and asked if we could do something like this,” he said.

The store itself does not have the same mission as other stores like it. Aberle said the technology has nothing to do with getting rid of labor, as it also features full-service gas pumps outside. Instead, it’s about convenience.

“The guys will be outside filling their gas tanks, and that allows the person to come in and shop,” he said. “Some people don’t want to talk to anyone inside. You go in, and no one has to check you out. You get whatever you need, and you walk out. So it’s about convenience.

Enerbase CEO Ricky Aberle stands in the aisle of their new cashier-less store at 1809 S. Broadway in Minot. The store uses Amazon technology that includes weighted shelves and 233 cameras (hanging from the ceiling). The store features full service gas pumps and actually has more full-time employees than before. However, the shopping experience is cashier-less with the exception of tobacco.

We have more people working here now than we did before.”

How is this type of store possible? Two hundred and thirty-three ceiling cameras, and weighted shelves, Aberle said.

The experience

A customer drives up to the gas pump. A full-service attendant pumps their gas and even offers to refill their fluids such as washer fluid. The customer walks inside the store and is greeted by an employee near the door, who serves as a cashier for tobacco products as well as any additional help a customer may want.

The customer walks up to the inner entrance of the store, taps their card near the credit card machine, small doors swing open and the shopping experience begins. The cameras automatically link the card with the customer based on the customer’s identifiable features.

From there, the customer might go to the cooler for a drink and then grab a candy bar from the shelf and walk out. The cameras and weighted shelves monitor everything, including if the customer decides to put everything back and leave. Nothing is charged to the customer until they pass through the small exit doors, Aberle said.

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An option for an electronic receipt exists on the wall before the exit doors. They can enter their email, and it will automatically be linked to the card they use going forward.

Aberle said the store seems unusual because of the order in which customers have traditionally purchased their products. In this case, it’s reversed.

“You come in and it’s just like any other credit card machine,” he said. “You tap your card like you would at any other place, except here you do it at the beginning instead of the end. You can just walk out. It’s simpler.”

Concept

The process started in the spring of 2023, Aberle said. Enerbase had been renting the property, but decided to purchase it and rebuild. Rather than a typical store, they made the decision to try something unique.

“We wanted to be on the edge of technology instead of being a company that’s catching up,” Aberle said. “This is sort of like a destination point. It costs money to do this, but the closest place in the country that has anything like this is in Denver.”

Each product has a unique weight, so Aberle said the store needed to be designed before the technology was finished.

“Our operations team really did a nice job, because this was not easy,” he said. “We had to figure out what we’re putting where so we could get the cameras and weights set to the products. They did a great job. The store has a nice flow.”

The store features a comfortable shopping experience, as the cameras require wide aisles — very easy for a wheelchair.

“It makes for a nice look, too,” Aberle said. “Now we’re wondering if we should take some of the extra space in our other stores and (widen the aisles).”

Aberle said he does not expect all of their customers to latch onto this model right away. As with anything new, it could take some time for customers to adapt to the technology.

“Is everybody going to embrace it? Of course, there will be some that don’t,” Aberle said. “But other than giving your payment at the beginning instead of the end, it’s really not that different.”

Aberle said his cooperative is in a busy town full of competition. With technology as the future, just keeping up isn’t enough.

“We compete against every place that delivers fuel or propane to a customer out of town. And we compete against every other gas station in town,” he said. “Whether you’re a co-op or not, you have to be ahead of the game.”

Enerbase's new cashier-less store at its Broadway location in Minot features Amazon's "Just Walk Out" technology. Once a customer taps their card on the credit card machine, the green door swings open. Customers can then grab what they want and walk out.

Nominations being taken for cooperator honor

The Gaylord Olson Cooperator Award is the highest honor that the cooperative community can bestow on those who have made significant contributions to cooperatives and their continued success in North Dakota.

Gaylord Olson was dedicated to the cooperative system and embodies the principles of cooperation that we aim to teach others. Gaylord was a lifetime member of the North Dakota Farmers Union and served as NDFU's vice president from 1972 to 1984. He served on the Board of Directors of the Farmers Union Elevator Cooperative of Buxton from 1962 to 2001, and the Farmers Union Central Exchange (Cenex) Board of Directors from 1986 to 1999.

The purpose of this award is to bring to light the individuals who work to ensure that our cooperative system stays viable for not only our own communities, but the future of our communities for generations to come. Nominees should have strong examples of participating in education for themselves or educating and mentoring the next and current generation of cooperators. The information should be concise and reflect the nominee’s contributions to the cooperative movement, not just the local cooperative.

Nomination

To nominate someone from your cooperative, please write a letter no longer than three pages stating how the nominee:

• Has been involved in the cooperative movement within and beyond North Dakota.

• Include positions held in cooperatives (employment, board of directors and committees); awards previously received from other cooperatives/cooperative supporting organizations; any significant civic/community involvement or awards may be included.

• How the nominee achieved identifiable and lasting changes to improve and promote cooperatives.

• How has the nominee inspired and persuaded others to act to advance the cooperative system.

• How the nominee has shown a personal commitment to the cooperative or cooperative movement.

• How the nominee has participated or advanced education about cooperatives for themselves and/or others. When nominating an individual, also consider an event of your cooperative’s choosing (i.e. an annual meeting) where you would like the individual to be honored with this award.

Any questions on the award may be directed to Kristi Schweiss at 701-231-6189 or kristi.schweiss@ndsu.edu. Applications are due Nov. 30, 2024.

Gaylord Olson, vice president of NDFU, addresses members attending the Foster County Farmers Union annual convention held in Carrington in 1982. Also pictured is Foster County secretary Lucille Zink and president Charles Linderman. Olson was a leader in the cooperative movement and is the namesake for the Gaylord Olson Cooperator Award, given by Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives.

OCTOBER IS CO-OP MONTH!

North Dakota Farmers Union wants to say thank you to the following cooperatives for checking dues and supporting cooperative learning by paying educational funds. We appreciate your support!

Allied Energy of Edgeley

Arrowwood Prairie Co-op of Wimbledon

Central Dakota Frontier Co-op of Napoleon

Creative Energy of South Heart-Belfield-Jamestown

CHS SunPrairie of Minot

Enerbase Cooperative of Minot

Envision Cooperative of Rugby-Mohall

Farmers Union Oil of Berthold

Farmers Union Oil of Beulah

Farmers Union Oil of Devils Lake

Farmers Union Oil of Ellendale

Farmers Union Oil of Embden

BY THE NUMBERS

• 2 million farmers are members of more than 2,100 co-ops in the U.S.

• There are more than 1.2 million agricultural co-ops across the globe

• Farm co-ops generate about $6.5 billion in net income each year in the U.S.

• More than 250,000 people are employed by farmer-owned co-ops in the U.S.

• Most of the top agricultural cooperatives are based in the Midwest, such as CHS, Land O’Lakes, Ocean Spray, Blue Diamond, Organic Valley

Farmers Union Oil of Garrison

Farmers Union Oil of Glen Ullin

Farmers Union Oil of Hazen

Farmers Union Oil of Hope

Farmers Union Oil of Jamestown

Farmers Union Oil of Kenmare

Farmers Union Oil of Pettibone

Farmers Union Oil of Portland

Farmers Union Oil of Tolna

Farmers Union of Watford City

Farmers Union Oil of Willow City

Farmers Union Oil of Wilton

Farmers Union Oil of York

Horizon Resources of Williston

Legacy Cooperative of Bisbee

Mott Equity Elevator

North Star Cooperative of Cavalier

Petro Serve USA of West Fargo

Pinnacle of Stanley/Tioga

ProPoint Cooperative of Bowman

Ray Farmers Union Elevator

Tri-Energy of Bismarck

Western Choice Cooperative of Killdeer

Williston Home & Lumber

Wilton Farmers Union Elevator

FARMERS UNION OIL OF JAMESTOWN

Data from National Cooperative Business Association

Meeting the needs of patrons

Ray Farmers Union Elevator continues growth with fertilizer expansion

BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU

Daryn Edwards knows steady growth is essential for the Ray Farmers Union Elevator.

In his 13th year as manager of the grain and agronomy cooperative in northwest North Dakota, Edwards is overseeing another big project — dry fertilizer expansion.

The elevator was the recipient of a $1.49 million USDA grant focused on fertilizer expansion meant to “strengthen competition for farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers,” according to USDA.

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Daryn Edwards General Manager

Jeremy Pederson Board Chairman

Photo by Norman Sifuentes, NDFU

“We’re near tripling the size of our dry plant,” Edwards said. “It’s great expansion. Relying on trucks in the spring months at a plant (the current) size, it’s so hard to keep up. Now we’ll have a much bigger chunk of our needs on hand and ready to go for the spring season.”

The grant, announced in May, funded fertilizer projects in 12 states including Minnesota and North Dakota. For the Ray Farmers Union Elevator, it’ll expand the fertilizer plant from 4,200 tons to 11,425 tons.

Fertilizer has been a growing business for the co-op, which expects its expansion to be completed in November with other areas being finalized in the spring.

“Years ago, we weren’t diversified — we pretty much relied on grain only,” said Edwards, whose father Allen was once general manager for more than 30 years. “Our agronomy department has really expanded and spread out our footprint. We have to do more.”

Ray Farmers Union Elevator Board Chairman Jeremy Pederson — who grows small grains and pulse crops on his family farm 3 miles north of Ray — said the expansion is about meeting the needs of the community.

“Our overall mindset is just to try to come up with better ways to meet the needs of our patrons,” he said. “We’ve got a good, loyal patron base. They’re expanding their operations, and we’re trying to keep pace.”

Big projects aren’t anything new to the coop, which completed rail expansion in 2023 to accommodate shuttle trains, as BNSF has cut out the smaller 24-car trains in favor of 115-car trains. The co-op also added 425,000 bushels of storage.

“That’s been a huge improvement for our efficiency,” Edwards said. “That was the biggest expansion project in the history of our co-op. We’re able to use the shuttle trains and get better bids and bring better prices back to our growers. That’s brought way more value than I ever thought it would.”

In 2020, the co-op purchased a plant across the highway from its location for peas and lentils.

“We have a pulse plant there, and it has good cleaning equipment,” Edwards said. “So quite a bit of expansion taking place over the last few years.”

The co-op has changed a lot since he started as an employee over 30 years ago, he said. He can remember the co-op being down to four employees at one point. Now, the co-op employs 23 people in the community.

“I’d say we have less turnover than (normal),” he said. “I hope it’s because our employees are finding that we’re just a good company to work for.”

Being a co-op means patrons are memberowners, and that means they have a voice, Pederson said.

“You have an opportunity to earn some equity and redeem that one day, and being an owner, you have a say in how some of that equity is directed,” he said. “You have a voice in our direction.”

Pederson said the co-op listens to its

CO-OP MONTH!

members, which has led directly to its latest expansion efforts.

“We keep an open line of communication to keep (our co-op on the path) that our members want,” he said. “The Ray Farmers Union Elevator has a history of keeping tabs on being able to grow in such a way that’s manageable. It’s just been steady growth.”

Edwards echoed those sentiments.

“The board has put in a lot of due diligence — they’ve done their homework,” Edwards said. “We’ve kept up with our patrons’ wants and needs.”

Ray Farmers Union Elevator's fertilizer plant is expanding from 4,200 tons to 11,425 tons with the help of a $1.49 million grant from USDA.

POLICY HOPPER

FROM NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

NDFU sends 26 to D.C. to advocate for priorities

Last month, 26 NDFU members traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the National Farmers Union Fly-In. The group continued NDFU’s now two-year-long push for farm bill provisions that would strengthen the farm safety net, improve risk management tools and farmer-friendly climate provisions. As the farm economy continues to weaken, Congress appears to feel a renewed sense of urgency for completing the farm bill. This article explores where NDFU’s priorities stand.

STRENGTHEN THE FARM SAFETY NET

The House Farm Bill contains strong provisions for improving the farm safety net, primarily through increased reference prices. However, the cost of those improvements are roughly $43 billion, causing an impasse among farm bill negotiators. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has been reluctant to embrace reference price increases because of the difficult budget scenario. During a fly-in briefing, Chairwoman Stabenow’s staff reiterated her opposition to using nutrition cuts to offset the cost of safety net improvements.

Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.) is a strong proponent for reference price increases, as is Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.). However, they also propose using nutrition program restrictions to pay for the increase. While the issue is far from resolved, both sides seemed to recognize that passing a farm bill will require access to additional funds or a compromise on this point.

IMPROVED RISK MANAGEMENT TOOLS

During our meeting with Sen. Hoeven, he continued to express optimism that key elements of his Livestock Disaster Relief Act

would make it into the final farm bill. That legislation bolsters Livestock Forage Program payment rates and increase access to the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program.

Sen. Hoeven is also the lead sponsor of the FARMER Act, a bill to improve the affordability of crop insurance and the Supplemental Coverage Option. Crop insurance improvements are contained in both House and Senate farm bill proposals, though only Boozman’s proposal contains the core FARMER Act provisions.

FARMER-FRIENDLY CLIMATE PROVISIONS

The Inflation Reduction Act provided roughly $19.5 billion to boost funding for popular farm bill conservation programs. While the “four corners” agree on bringing those funds into the farm bill’s conservation title, they don’t agree on how they can be used. Generally, Democrats continue to push for those funds to be designated for climate-smart practices – a list that includes cover crops, no-till, prescribed grazing and many other practices. Republicans, on the other hand, would like to see the

Ben Vig of Sharon (middle), Julie Gemmill (middle right) of Fordville and Ozzie Skogen of Lakota visited congressional offices to talk about NDFU's priorities at the 2024 fly-in.

climate-smart guardrails removed from those funds.

OTHER FLY-IN PRIORITIES

During the fly-in, NDFU members also advocated for:

• Fairness for Farmers policies, including restoring mandatory country-of-origin labeling, and enhancing price discovery in cattle markets;

• Policies that support renewable fuels markets, including year-round E15, a pathway for E30 and regional equity in clean fuels tax credit incentives; and

• Comprehensive reform for the H-2A worker visa program and a temporary wage rate freeze.

CONCLUSION

The fly-in is an important opportunity for NDFU members to make their voices heard in

the halls of Congress. This year’s fly-in, along with the efforts of many partner organizations, may well have breathed new life into the farm bill debate. NDFU will continue to urge Congress to use the few working days it has left to finally get this farm bill done.

— Government Relations Director Matt Perdue

Participants

Mark Anderson, Jamestown; Jett and Jevan Ewoniuk, South Heart; Bob Finken, Douglas; Julie Gemmill, Fordville; Ryan Gregg, Jamestown; Sabrina Hornung, Lehr; John Kelly, Pekin; Bob and Brenda Kuylen, South Heart; Sarah Kuylen, South Heart; Mary Mertens, Christine; Pamela Musland, Jamestown; Madelyn Oster, Ray; Matt Perdue, Jamestown; Hope Raley, Gladstone; Carmen Rath Wald, Napoleon; Shane Sickler, Gladstone; Ozzie Skogen, Lakota; Jeanna Smaaladen, Grand Forks; Ben Vig, Sharon; John Wald, Napoleon; Mark Watne, Jamestown; Rebecca Willer, Jamestown; Robin and Shelly Ziesch, Pettibone.

NDFU took 26 members to the National Farmers Union Fly-in Sept. 11-13 in Washington, D.C. NDFU members visited USDA and heard from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. They also broke into groups and helped NFU visit all 535 offices of Congress.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong (left) and Sen. John Hoeven met with NDFU members to discuss NDFU's priorities.

JOIN US

PETER LEYDEN

Keynote Speaker

Peter Leyden is a keynote speaker on the future who explains better than almost anyone what’s really going on in the world today, what’s probably coming in the decade ahead, what’s possible to achieve in the long-term, and what you could do now to adapt.

Leyden has been giving frequent keynote talks on the future and the impact of new technologies to business and general audiences throughout America and Europe for the last 25 years.

for the 98th NDFU state convention!

Around the state

LaMoure County Farmers Union EPIC coach Carly Rott and Cole Just stand by a table promoting NDFU's Kommunity Kids grant. Just applied for the $500 grant to use toward Guardian Caps — softshell football helmets considered safer than a traditional helmet.

Richland County Farmers Union sponsored a food booth at the Wyndmere Fall Festival on Sept.14. Students from Wyndmere High School prepared the food and ran the booth, as they are fundraising for an agricultural education trip to France. The event was a success with them selling over 100 tacos in a bag.

Farmers

• Thursday, Oct. 24 • 10 a.m. Central Time Visit NDFU.org to register

Sioux County Farmers Union participated in the annual Selfridge Days celebration. There were games and wagon rides for the kids, Native dance performances, as well as burgers and hotdogs sponsored by Diamond V beef.

Farmers Union Insurance donated toward the purchase of a new truck for the Jamestown Fire Department.

County

a barbecue for its

COUNTY CONVENTION CALENDAR

Oct. 3 — Emmons County Farmers Union annual meeting • 6 p.m. • Linton Senior Center • Dinner and Aimee and Bill's comedy act for entertainment.

Oct. 14 — Kidder County Farmers Union annual meeting • 6:30 p.m. • Pettibone Community Center • Appetizers and beverages.

Oct. 18 — Sioux County Farmers Union annual meeting • 5:30 p.m. • Selfridge Senior Center • Appetizers, door prizes, speakers, youth activities.

Oct. 20 — Sargent County Farmers Union annual meeting • 2:30 p.m. • Gwinner Community Center.

Oct. 27 — Benson County Farmers Union annual meeting • 5:30 p.m. • Maddock Community Center • Dinner, with meeting to follow.

Oct. 27 — Rolette County Farmers Union annual meeting • 2 p.m. • Rolette Country Club • Desserts, door prizes.

Oct. 28 — Walsh County Farmers Union annual meeting • 6 p.m. • Alexander House, Park River • Dinner, with meeting to follow.

Oct. 29 — Grand Forks County Farmers Union annual meeting • 6 p.m. • AgCountry, Grand Forks • Dinner and meeting. UND women's basketball team will be in attendance.

Oct. 29 — Dickey County Farmers Union annual meeting • 7 p.m. • Ellendale American Legion.

Nov. 3 — Ward County Farmers Union annual meeting • 4 p.m. • Buffalo Wings and Rings, Minot.

Nov. 3 — Barnes County Farmers Union annual meeting • 5 p.m. • Pizza Corner, Valley City • Meeting with dinner to follow. Free rollerskating for kids during meeting.

Nov. 3 — Towner County Farmers Union annual meeting • 3 p.m. • Rocklake Community Center • Coffee, desserts, door prizes.

Nov. 18 — Richland County Farmers Union annual meeting • 6 p.m. • Black Pelican, Wyndmere • Dinner, with meeting to follow.

Nov. 18 — Stutsman County Farmers Union annual meeting • 6 p.m. • NDFU State Office, Jamestown • Dinner, with meeting to follow.

Nov. 19 — Griggs County Farmers Union annual meeting • 6 p.m. • Cooperstown Pizza Ranch • Dinner, with meeting to follow.

Williams

Farmers Union held

members at the Wildrose Golf Course.

VOTER GUIDE 2024 North Dakota Farmers Union

oth rural and urban North Dakotans overwhelmingly agree that farming is central to the North Dakota way of life. Family farmers are essential to North Dakota’s economy and communities.

As the largest grassroots organization that represents family farmers and ranchers, North Dakota Farmers Union urges its members to ask their candidates about their views of family farm agriculture, and to support family farms with their vote in November.

This year, the general election is Nov. 5. All North Dakota voting information may be accessed through vote.nd.gov. Valid identification is required at voting

North Dakota does not have voter registration. However, in order to vote in North Dakota, you must be:

• A U.S. citizen

• At least 18 years old on the day of election

• A North Dakota resident

• A precinct resident for 30 days preceding the election

Many counties also allow for early voting. Dates and availability differ by county. To find your local voting place and times, go to vote.nd.gov and click on where to vote or contact your local county courthouse.

All eligible North Dakotans have the option to request a ballot before the day of an election in a process known as absentee voting. An application is required to be submitted any time within the calendar year of an election. For more information or to access the application, go to vote.nd.gov.

BALLOT MEASURES

On Nov. 5, North Dakotans will be voting on five measures. Below are the recommendations from North Dakota Farmers Union per its Policy and Action:

STATE INSTITUTION LANGUAGE

4 1

If approved, the measure would update language used in the state constitution to describe certain state institutions such as changing "insane" to "individuals with mental illness," "feebleminded" to "individuals with developmental disabilities," and "deaf and dumb" to "deaf and hard of hearing."

INITIATED MEASURE PROCESS

8 2

If approved, the measure would require both constitutional and nonconstitutional initiated measures to be limited to one subject and increase the number of signatures required to place a constitutional initiated measure on the ballot from 4% to 5% of the population. Additionally, it would require a constitutional initiated measure to be approved in both the primary and general elections. If it fails at either, the measure does not pass.

LEGACY FUND TRANSFERS

If approved, the measure would change requirements for transfers from the state Legacy Fund. It would decrease the amount of principal available for spending each biennium and clarify the distributions from the Legacy Fund. It would require transfers and earnings accruing prior to July 1, 2017 to be deemed as the principal of the Legacy Fund; reduce the amount of the principal of the Legacy Fund available to be expended during a biennium from 15% to 5%; require the state investment board to invest the moneys in the Legacy Fund, not limited to the principal.

PROPERTY TAX

If approved, the measure would prohibit state and local governments from levying taxes on the assessed value of a home except for those designed to pay for bonded indebtedness incurred through a certain date.

RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

8 5

If approved, the measure would legalize the recreational or personal use of marijuana.

KEVIN CRAMER Republican

U.S. SENATE

The next farm bill is now two years late. As commodity prices fall and input costs remain high, farmers and ranchers are facing tough economic headwinds. What steps will you take to ensure farmers and ranchers have an adequate safety net to support them when times are tough?

CRAMER: Senate Democrats have neglected to pass a farm bill the last two sessions but committed the forbidden offense of changing food policy between farm bill authorizations. I sounded the alarm when Chairman Stabenow pushed huge increases in nutrition and conservation titles, diluting the commodity and insurance programs, creating a greater disconnect between advocates for growers and consumers, squeezing the farmer out of farm programs. These same partisan actions drove inflation and interest rates to record highs.

We must pass a bill recognizing these realities.

My top priority is protecting and improving the safety nets allowing producers to borrow, plant, grow and harvest the safest, most reliable and lowest cost food, fiber and fuel in the world. Those priorities begin with protecting and improving crop insurance by raising premium support. I am a cosponsor of the FARMER Act to do exactly that. To combat high input costs, I support raising reference prices for the Price Loss Coverage program and the guarantee and maximum payment for Acreage Risk Loss program. I support allowing producers to enroll in both.

Livestock producers also need help. I am pushing rancher friendly improvements to the Livestock Indemnity, Emergency Assistance for Livestock and Livestock Forage Programs to ensure our ranchers are protected.

As important as modest safety nets are for our producers, too much government is often worse. Farmers can lose everything to a zealous bureaucrat looking for a Swampbuster violation, or Fish and Wildlife Service warden who puts ducks ahead of people, or Corps of Engineers officer who thinks a puddle is navigable under WOTUS. Since the Supreme Court repealed the Chevron Doctrine, there should be less law making by bureaucrats, but we must remain diligent. Which is why I always push back on USDA, EPA, Interior and USACE. They work for you, not the other way around.

CHRISTIANSEN: The next Farm Bill needs to address the increasing concentration of agricultural suppliers and processors, declining market access in tandem with intensifying catastrophic droughts, fires and floods with effective and timely solutions.

First, lawmakers must reform the Farm Safety Net to incorporate and optimize the indemnification and market facilitation programs developed in response to weather disasters, the pandemic and trade wars. Secondly, farm program participants need to be able to have dual enrollment options for Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) to address

uncertainty associated with losses due to price as well as in revenue. Thirdly, lawmakers must close the coverage gap for diversified and specialty producers by expanding access to Farm Safety Net programs. Finally, but most importantly, we need to adjust the statutory reference prices for all crops without compromising the strength of the remaining farm bill programs.

The strengthening of the Farm Safety Net also needs to outline a robust but not cumbersome process that sets just eligibility, allows for smooth enrollment and establishes fair payments that maintain the integrity of the program.

Reauthorization of the 2018 Farm Bill is tantamount to turning in the same answers over and over to different questions. Our farmers deserve to have a great farm bill that reflects the current market conditions and anticipates future challenges.

Nearly all the markets farmers and ranchers buy from and sell to are heavily consolidated. Over the last four years, Congress has discussed the issue extensively but has taken little action. What will you do to improve fairness, transparency and competitiveness in food and ag markets?

CHRISTIANSEN: The concentration of power within the agricultural supply chain, known as vertical integration, poses a significant threat to our national security and has created an environment where farmers bear the risks while corporations reap the rewards. This unequal distribution of power has led to unfair practices, such as tournament systems that require farmers to make costly investments without guaranteed returns.

Lawmakers must strengthen the Stockyards and Packers Act by enacting rules that prohibit unfair and deceptive practices like tournament systems, retaliation against producers who speak out about their contracts being illegal as well as reinstate country-of-origin labeling (COOL), enforce Truth in Labeling, prohibit “Tying and Bundling” by equipment manufacturers, protect producer electronic record data, and enforce right to repair.

Congress needs to force the Department of Justice to investigate the consolidation of agriculture companies under the Sherman Antitrust Act to address the monopolies dominating the market with no competition.

CRAMER: North Dakota's struggle with packers is older than our State. Four packers control 85% of steer and heifer purchases, two are foreign-owned. To tackle this problem, we must knock down barriers to entry for competitors. That's why I cosponsor the Strengthening Local Processing Act, the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act, and the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act to offer smaller packer operations access to USDA resources and allow interstate shipment. It is not just a better choice for producers and consumers, but for national security as well.

KATRINA CHRISTIANSEN Democrat-NPL

JULIE FEDORCHAK Republican

U.S. HOUSE

FEDORCHAK: It is often said that farm bills are written for difficult times, not good times. As the economic outlook in farm country continues to worsen, passing a strong and effective farm bill is more critical than ever. The next farm bill must invest in the farm safety net to support the continued success of our farmers and ranchers. That means increasing reference prices for Title I programs, which are currently outdated and do not reflect today’s cost of production. It also means protecting crop insurance while improving the program, such as enhancing the affordability for higher levels of coverage. Livestock disaster programs should be updated and strengthened to provide adequate support to ranchers facing losses due to natural disasters. Additionally, Congress should invest in trade and market promotion programs that help our producers open new and expand existing markets. Efforts to diversify markets are critical during this time of global instability. While the provisions Congress includes in a new farm bill are important, equally important is what is kept out of the legislation. Many see the farm bill as an avenue to impose new regulations and red tape on producers. Farm bill conservation programs have proven popular with farmers and ranchers due to their voluntary and incentive-based nature; this is how they should stay.

HAMMER: As a Marine, teacher, and North Dakotan who’s worked on the oil fields and railroads, I know firsthand the importance of a solid foundation when times get tough. North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers are dealing with everything but that. Commodity prices are falling while input costs skyrocket, and Washington is too busy bickering to pass the next Farm Bill.

The next Farm Bill must deliver real relief. That means increasing Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference prices to match rising production costs, allowing for dual enrollment in ARC and PLC, and improving the affordability of higher levels of crop insurance. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about protecting the backbone of our rural economy—our family farms. We also need to address the challenges young producers face in acquiring land. If we want to keep the next generation on the farm, we’ve got to make it easier for them to get started—without crushing debt. And let’s make sure we’re closing farm program loopholes so the benefits go to real producers, not corporate giants. Washington needs to prioritize mid-sized and family farms over multinational agribusiness.

North Dakota’s economy relies on our farmers and ranchers to thrive. But they can’t do it without a strong

Farm Bill. We also need the right size regulation. Some rules make sense, but others just pile on unnecessary burdens that hurt our producers. It’s time Washington delivers a Farm Bill that supports our farmers, not hinders them.

HAMMER: North Dakota’s farmers are being squeezed by monopolistic practices that drive up input costs and manipulate the prices they get for their products. Congress has had plenty of talk but no action, leaving producers to fend for themselves against corporate giants. We need serious antitrust enforcement to break up these monopolies and legislation to ensure pricing transparency so farmers aren’t kept in the dark about the value of their products.

We also need to restore Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) so North Dakota’s producers can proudly sell their locally-raised beef and compete fairly against cheap, low-quality imports. Consumers deserve to know where their food comes from, and local producers deserve a level playing field.

At the heart of this is fairness. Washington must start working for our local producers so they can compete and thrive in a fair, transparent market.

FEDORCHAK: The agriculture industry is among the most innovative sectors of our economy. Advancements over the past several decades, driven by investments from both public and private sectors, have helped American farmers and ranchers produce more food while using fewer resources. Monitoring excessive consolidation within this industry is important. Our legal, tax, and regulatory climate must encourage healthy competition to maximize innovation, control prices, and support new business growth. We need to enforce existing antitrust laws to prevent anti-competitive and monopolistic activity while encouraging private-sector innovation and allowing markets to function efficiently, avoiding harm to producers and increasing costs.

In addition to enforcing our existing laws, I will look for ways to reduce barriers to entry for new agribusinesses. Regulatory burdens on businesses have grown considerably in the last four years. This drives up costs, reduces investments in research and development, delays the commercialization of new fertilizers or pesticides, and generally discourages competition. Cutting red tape and reducing regulatory burdens on businesses can help grow markets and increase opportunities for farmers and ranchers.

TRYGVE HAMMER Democrat-NPL

GOVERNOR OF NORTH DAKOTA

KELLY ARMSTRONG Republican

NDFU has strongly supported efforts to promote value-added agriculture development. As Governor, what will your priorities be for creating new opportunities for family farmers and ranchers?

ARMSTRONG: As Governor, I will continue to promote, protect, and support our farmers and ranchers across the state. The best example of being value-added agriculture is taking Red River Valley soybeans, crushing them in Spiritwood, and turning them into renewable diesel in Dickinson. You are not only creating a diverse market for soybeans to be processed but creating an opportunity for the whole state to be involved in the process. I will look to find more of these opportunities to grow production agriculture in our state.

PIEPKORN: New opportunities for family farmers and ranchers benefit the entire state. An innovative agricultural sector diversifies the economy and stops the export of profit to other states along with raw commodities.

First, we should support small farmers and ranchers with low interest loans from the Bank of North Dakota. Currently the BND offers beginning farmers a loan rate only one percent lower than its base rate. Let’s consider a one percent interest rate with payments on the principal suspended for a period of years. And then consider similar programs for operating, cattle, and market opportunities.

Second, local ag processing is an obvious direction for ag business. If Congress passes a Country of Origin Labeling requirement for beef, consumer demand for

local beef will increase, making way for smaller plants. There are other untapped markets for products, such as hemp processing plants for fabric.

Third, let’s provide incentives to farmers and ranchers to replenish the land through rotational grazing, planting cover crops, and other methods. It pays off in the future, and we owe it to future generations to respect the natural resources they will inherit.

Fourth, the Legacy Fund and other state funds can be leveraged for spurring start-ups, while also promoting the spinoffs of small farmers and ranchers, such as agritourism and local healthy food co-ops. Public-private partnerships and producer co-ops can keep profits in North Dakota.

COACHMAN:

• Remove foreign land ownership in ND, allowing ND farmers and ranchers the opportunity to own more land.

• Have small farm (homesteads) start-up grants to encourage rural North Dakota communities to produce more farmers and ranchers.

• Be a buffer between the USDA overreach and North Dakota Ranchers and Farmers

• Create a State Emergency fund just for North Dakota Ranchers and Farmers who suffer loss from natural disasters.

STATE TREASURER

Tom Beadle is the Republican nominee for North Dakota state treasurer. He is running unopposed. Beadle was elected in 2020 to serve as North Dakota’s 34th State Treasurer. Beadle has a background in commercial real estate investment and brokerage. He previously served as a state representative for North Dakota’s 27th district from 2010-2020, serving on numerous committees, including appropriations, and focused on expanding our economy, developing our workforce and bringing new technologies to our region.

MERRILL PIEPKORN Democrat-NPL

MICHAEL COACHMAN Independent

TOM BEADLE Republican

NDFU members support property tax reform but think Measure 4 is a bad solution for North Dakota. If Measure 4 is defeated, what are your priorities for providing meaningful property tax reform?

PIEPKORN: I oppose eliminating North Dakota’s property taxes but support substantive reform. These taxes are collected by local governments for local needs. It would be a mistake to put this decision making in the hands of the state legislature.

Instead, we should consider state support to reduce the amount local governments collect. For example, about half of property taxes go to schools. Even so, school districts can’t keep up with the cost of facilities and infrastructure. North Dakota’s Constitution directs the state legislature to provide for a system of public schools. The state’s Legacy Fund could be used for property tax relief for school facilities, benefitting the entire state.

We can also increase the current annual Primary Residence Credit for all property owners from $500 to $1000 and make it permanent, eliminating the need for an annual application.

Further, seniors should not be taxed out of their home. I favor eliminating property taxes altogether for those seniors who meet certain eligibility requirements.

ARMSTRONG: I do not support the measure and would encourage all of North Dakota to vote against it.

The measure will eliminate local control, forcing smaller communities like Carson, Oakes, and Rugby to go in front of the Legislative body every two years to beg for their funding needs. Our smaller communities are already facing unique challenges, and this will increase the rate of our smaller communities dying. The other problem is the benefit this will give to out-of-state landowners like Bill Gates, or future investors looking for a place to park money with no tax liability. The measure is problematic as it will force a rewrite of over 40% of the century code, making the Legislature figure out how to revamp how to run the state of North Dakota.

I have consistently fought to lower taxes for the people of North Dakota. There has been some work done on this issue, but it hasn’t led to reductions in property tax statements. My number one priority will be to collaborate with community leaders, county officials, and stakeholders to find a solution that will benefit all North Dakotans, while delivering meaningful reform.

COACHMAN: We would enforce the North Dakota State Constitution. NDC - Article X, outlines what we should be doing for property tax.

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER

Jon Godfread is the Republican nominee for North Dakota insurance commissioner. He is running unopposed. Godfread was elected North Dakota’s 22nd Insurance Commissioner in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. Godfread has prioritized consumer advocacy, ensuring North Dakotans are better aware of the services offered by the North Dakota Insurance Department beyond industry regulation. On a national level, Godfread has been an active voice in discussions about insurance regulations including the use of technology, air ambulance service, and health care reinsurance. Godfread serves as the president-elect of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

JON GODFREAD Republican

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER

Over the last few years, farmers and shippers have expressed concern over rail car backlogs, rail safety, and cost prohibitive grain freight rates. What will you do as a member of the PSC to ensure farmers and shippers have access to reliable, safe and affordable rail service?

CHRISTMANN: Federal deregulation legislation has left the Public Service Commission (PSC) without legal authority over rail car backlogs and freight rates, but our work is still very impactful on the subject. The PSC maintains access to money in our budget to initiate a legal rail rate complaint case to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) if necessary. I was instrumental in having this pool of money appropriated for the first time when I was still in the Senate. However, the thing that could cause the most significant backlogs and freight rate increases is excessive competition from the energy industry. The work the PSC does each day to approve a safe and effective network of oil and gas pipelines has been the key to avoiding these problems in the first place. Sadly, there are still zealous anti-fossil fuels advocates working to shut down vital projects like the Dakota Access Pipeline. These pipelines are extremely valuable in preventing accessibility and affordability problems for North Dakota’s agriculture industry.

Regarding rail safety, that is also a responsibility of the FRA. However, we believe their inspection regime is inadequate. To supplement their effort, the PSC does employ two additional safety inspectors who are trained and certified by FRA to conduct additional safety inspections beyond what the FRA conducts. Our inspectors have discovered many safety violations, some of them potentially catastrophic.

WILKIE: No submission.

The PSC plays a role in economic development with its authority over siting of energy facilities, transmission lines and pipelines. How will you promote economic development in the state, while respecting the rights of private landowners.

WILKIE: No submission.

CHRISTMANN: North Dakota’s siting laws for generation facilities, pipelines, and electric transmission lines are each separate and unique. Requirements for each specific type of project are clear and the PSC makes sure that developers will meet those standards before building. Those siting laws, instituted by the Legislature for the PSC to enforce, are designed to balance the desire for economic development with the need to respect private property rights and the public interest in general. The laws are adjusted almost every Legislative Session in response to the most recent cases. In any given siting case, some people may wish that the legal requirements were less stringent so a project would be more likely to develop while other people may wish that the legal requirements were more stringent so a property owner would not be bothered. In the vast majority of cases, the law is pretty clear and the PSC simply follows it.

RANDY CHRISTMANN Republican

TRACEY L. WILKIE Democrat-NPL

STATE AUDITOR

The state auditor is responsible for auditing state, county and local governments, school districts, public universities and mineral royalty payments. Why do you think the office of the state auditor is important? How can the office better serve all North Dakotans, including farmers and ranchers?

GALLION: The North Dakota State Auditor provides the citizens an opportunity to see how their government is spending their money through our transparency initiatives. In accordance with government auditing standards, government accounting standards, federal compliance supplements, and the rules and laws of our great state to make sure those hard earned tax dollars are spent appropriately while being a strong deterent against fraud, waste, and abuse.

LAMB: The state auditor is one of the most important positions in state government because it performs the duties of auditing the fiscal budgets of nearly all entities of our state. In effect, this non-partisan office, by statute, is mandated to essentially keep government honest and transparent. Transparency is key to maintaining an accountable government. Otherwise, corruption will go undetected. There are many examples of that happening today.

North Dakotans are best served when they know and understand how our state government is doing at all levels, including mineral royalty payments and the Legacy Fund ($10 billion or so). Citizens have a right to be informed. The effects on farming and ranching, especially with mineral royalties oversight, come from a trustworthy accounting to ensure that they are getting a fair shake. The State Auditor owes the citizens a complete annual report and comprehensive explanation of it. That is my pledge to farmers and ranchers, as well as everyone else.

Trust in government is near all-time lows. The work of the state auditor can both bolster and undermine North Dakotans’ trust in government. As auditor, how will you work to increase trust in state, county and local government?

LAMB: Trust is the hallmark of good governance. Without it, corruption and wrongdoing can go unchecked in government and shameful acts occur.

I will ensure that trust and transparency are returned to the office of state auditor. As your state auditor, I will implement policies and procedures to better serve accountability and transparency in state, county and local government. First, I will conduct regional townhall meetings of a published Annual Report. Second, I will implement an open-door policy for anyone to visit me, as well as a whistleblower hotline for anyone to report any suspicious activity in state and local government. Third, I will use the authority of the State Auditor’s Office to investigate alleged corruption, including misuse of public funds, violations of conflict of interest by any government official, and abusive travel expenses, especially to foreign countries. Finally, I will provide day-to-day supervision to my staff to ensure that competence and professionalism are maintained at all times.

As columnist Rob Port recently reported, my opponent, Josh Gallion, violated the political corruption act by using his office to endorse his friends for political office. He was also investigated by the legislature for complaints from fire departments and county officials regarding his unprofessional audit procedures. An unprecedented performance audit was mandated by law to review all aspects of his office from an outside agency. He is fighting it. He has shown he cannot be trusted.

It is time for a change. As a military veteran (retired Army Major) with a master’s degree in management and as a practicing attorney, who has also served as a school board member for 15 years, I am well qualified to serve as your next State Auditor.

GALLION: The role of the auditor is to provide a level of assurance that government institutions are properly using local, state, and federal resources. We conduct our work and report that to our key stakeholders which include the client, legislators, state and federal partners, and the citizens of North Dakota.

JOSH GALLION Republican

TIMOTHY LAMB Democrat-NPL

KIRSTEN BAESLER

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

There has been a growing focus on using public funding to support private schools. Do you support using taxpayer dollars to fund private schools? If so, how will you ensure such efforts don’t come at the expense of funding for public schools, especially in rural areas?

BAESLER: The use of public funding for private schools is a topic that must be approached with great care, particularly when considering the unique needs of North Dakota's public school system, including our rural schools.

While I believe in the importance of educational choice for families, any efforts to use taxpayer dollars for private education must be balanced to ensure that our public schools, which serve most students, remain fully supported. In North Dakota, we are committed to ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education, regardless of location or school setting. Also, all families should have access to educational choices that best meet the needs of their students. The state has the resources to support families whose students aren't thriving in their current educational settings, and our students deserve this support. For example, a family’s finances should not be a barrier for a student needing dyslexia therapy or those seeking advanced classes online to get a head start on their college or career. I feel strongly about equal access to these programs and strong accountability measures to ensure high student achievement for any public dollars provided.

Any public funding for private or alternative education must not come at the expense of our public schools. Should the legislature decide it wants to direct public funding toward private schools, I would work with legislators, schools, and communities to ensure high accountability and safeguard the funding and resources necessary for public schools.

HEITKAMP: Personally, I do not support the use of taxpayer dollars to fund private schools. That being said, when I am elected as the Superintendent of Public Instruction, I will need to work to enforce any legislation passed by the ND Legislative Body (ex: if a bill passed to implement a school choice program in North Dakota).

Even in North Dakota, consumers are increasingly separated from food production. What more can be done to educate students on the importance of agriculture and prepare them for careers in farming, ranching or agriculturerelated fields?

HEITKAMP: As Superintendent of Public Instruction, I will ensure that schools have the proper funding and resources to have successful Vocational Agriculture classes from k-12. I will also look to partner with county extension agencies to offer courses on food production to students. Both of these focuses will ensure that our students have insight into food production and expose them to career opportunities in Agriculture. One of the main focuses of my campaign has been prioritizing educating our students on a healthy lifestyle which goes hand-in-hand with educating our students on the importance of agriculture.

BAESLER: Agriculture is the backbone of North Dakota’s economy and heritage, and we must prepare the next generation to continue this legacy. To better educate students on agriculture and prepare them for careers in farming, ranching, and related fields, we need to integrate more hands-on learning opportunities. Learning in programs like 4-H and FFA can already provide high school credit. Still, we can do more by partnering with local farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses to provide students with real-world experiences. We must also work to strengthen career and technical education (CTE) programs focusing on agriculture-related pathways. Through these efforts, students will learn about the importance of agriculture and gain the skills needed to pursue successful careers in this vital sector. Strengthening relationships between schools and the agricultural community can bridge the gap between consumers and food production, ensuring that students understand the impact of agriculture on their daily lives and future career options.

Nonpartisan

JASON HEITKAMP Nonpartisan

CLASSIFIEDS

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!

FARM

FOR SALE

AUGER, 10”x61’ Westfield Auger; 1975c-65 Chevy tandem axel truck with rear tag axle 20 ft. metal box, 5x2 tranny. Landpride RCM 5020 20 ft. rotary cutter; 45,000 watt Winco Generator; 1500 NH Combine for parts; Gravity box with trailer. 701-349-5368, Dale Radermacher, Monango.

15-30 MCCORMICK TRACTOR, 1 New Tire LT245-75R-Load Range E. 2- Cream Separators, One David Bradley Metal Grain Box like new, 4-wheel Steel Running Gear, Covered Wagon Running Gear, 12’ Kirschman Drill, Horse Potato Cultivator, 4 Btm. Pony & Packer, Saddle and 2 Bridles. Email: larryn@westriv.com. 701-5488020, Larry Nagel, Shields.

CAB, Versatile 400 hydrostatic swather cab has water cooler sickle & canvas very good always kept inside. MC 375 continuous flow grain dryer complete with (2) 6 inch augers with 220 volt electric motors. 500 gallon propane tank. Call evenings. 701-482-7749, Robert Huff, Donnybrook.

IH COMBINE, 1993 1668 International Combine with a PU header and 1998 1020 25' Straight header. 5174 hours. $13,000. 701-996-2600/701-351-6000, Greg Hegland, Sheyenne.

JD COMBINE, John Deere 9610, with 30 ft straight header (230) and pickup header. 701728-6580, Gladys Kraft, Norwich.

HC 1460 COMBINE, Three headers, new feeder chain for IHC 402 or 403 combine also for 503 combine, New Lowen Concave for IHC 915 or914, wide wire for corn or soybeans. used Peterson non-adjustable chaffer sieve 61 7/8 in by 45 inch fits IHC 915, 1440, 1460 combines. Parts for IHC # 75 windrower, canvases for 18 foot and for 21 foot, New short and 21 short, both nylon. 701-465-3796, Arlo Blumhagen, Drake.

JD COMBINE, 2001 JD 9750 Combine, PRWD, Cont Master - Eng -4968/Sep- 3331. Above avg condition; Starfire 3000 Globe, New Shroud, Good Shape; JD 2014 DB60 PARTS: 36 JD Pro-Series XP Meters with Mini Hoppers/ Trimble True Count Air Clutches/Seed Tub Sensor Wire Harnesses 3 control boxes/Air tanks to run clutches for 3 row shutoff; Trimble Wiring/ Hoses. 36+ Steel Closing Wheels & Dry Rate Controller; Westfield 1070 Auger with swing out. 701-321-5711, John Kempf, Ashley.

T-POSTS, Used steel T posts. 5 1/2 and 6' long. 701-261-6308, Ron Fraase, Buffalo.

GRAIN CART, used 450 bu. J-Kraft, 540 PTO drive, 12" unloading auger with hydraulic fold, hydraulic bottom gates, and bin auger, roll tarp, 28LX26 good single tires, rear tow hitch, used seasonally, good condition, pictures available, $2750 OBO. 701-251-1486, Glen Nagel, Jamestown.

1967 ALLIS CHALMERS D 15 series 2 gas, PS, newer tires, alternator, battery, and seat. Straight original tractor. $4200. 701-724-3612, Jim Lunneborg, Rutland.

1967 DODGE 500, 1.5 Ton grain truck, steel box & hoist, 318 motor, 51,596 Mi. clean no rust, A must see unit, Pics available, Asking $2700. 701-331-0116, Dennis Brodina, Lankin.

GUARDS/LIFTERS, Combine pickup guards/ lifters; 1950s farm scale with steel wheels; transition for adding aeration to an existing grain bin/screens/fans; old front tine rototiller; 3 triangular grain auger hoppers w/straps/ chains to fasten onto grain auger; Simer water pump; used nitrolator w/hyd shut off hoses. 701-629-9003, Doug Halden, Stanley.

FLEX HEAD, 2012 John Deere 640FD flex draper head, 40', dual sickle drive, AHH in rigid, single pt. hookup, hyd. fore/aft, stubble lights; 35 FT Schwartz trailer Hyd winch, fold down sides Hyd beaver tail Hyd dolly. 701-320-1580, David Mutschler, Wimbledon.

VERMEER STUMP GRINDER, 2 Electric 1 HP motors - Single phase, 1750 RPM, runs forwarding & reverse, Buggy wheels. Horse farm equipment - rake, plater, cultivators, plow. $25 each or best offer for all of them; Fold up ice fishing house on skids. 509-389-9562, Wade Wipperling, New Rockford.

IH 1050 GRINDER MIXER with drag auger, good shape $2900. Layman chain stack mover works great for hauling big round bales $1800. 456 New Holland mower recondition $3400.00. 300IH utility tractor with loader and 3 point and chains, runs good $3900. 7 ft. Lorenz snow blower, like new condition $3900. A IH tractor like new paint,good tires, great shape $2900.00. Can deliver any of these items. 701400-5742, Gerald Miller, Mandan.

WANTED

TRACTORS, IH 706, 806, 1206, 856, 1256, 1456, 966, 1066, 1466, 1566, others; JD 5010, 5020, 4520, 4620, 6030, others; MM 950s on up; Olivers 1963 on up; ACs 200, 210, 220, D-21. Will buy all running or not. 701-6282130, Jerry Lumley, Stanley.

MANURE SPREADER, IHC 200, 2 or 4 wheel. 701-983-4445, John Flemmer, Golden Valley.

NH PARTS, used parts for 455 NH head or complete mower. 701-400-5742, Gerald Miller, Mandan.

FOR SALE

TUBING, fifty five 2 7/8 tubing, $60 each. Plus misc tubing and rods. 701-641-2346, Rod Anderson, Ray.

MOTORCYCLE, Suzuki Boulevard 800 motorcycle, excellent road bike for getting to and from work or for a leisurely evening ride. 7,180 miles, yellow and black in color, and it has a brand new battery! $3700 or best reasonable offer. Please call or text for more information. 701-799-1468, Heidi Benke, Fargo.

ANVILS, Porcelain metal signs, CO-OP sign oval DSP porcelain 8', Benjamin Moore paint sign porcelain SSP mint, Hardware store sign, and metal cast iron sign bases. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.

CAR SEAT, Britax Boulevard Clicktight. Usable from infant to 65 lb child. Used only occasionally with our grandson. $125. 701-2979634, Larry Lampl, West Fargo.

SMALL ENGINE, Briggs Stratton 6 HP motor good condition, 1980 XS1100SG Special Yamaha Motorcycle, excellent condition, new rubber pickup bed liner. Leave message. 701663-7973, Chris Heim, Mandan.

RUNNING BOARDS, 2024 new factory installed crew cab 6 in. chrome rectangular wheel to wheel assist running boards, includes mounting hardware. Fits 2019- 2024 GMC and Chevy crew cab models. MSRP $950, sell for $450. Also original factory installed skid plate with mounting hardware $25. Leave message if no answer. 701-222-2276, Clyde Fenster, Bismarck.

GENERATOR, Winpower 90 kw, 120/240 volts, 375 amps. Model# DR90H4. Fuel: Diesel. $4,000. 701-320-7099, Rita Rivinius, Gackle.

CHEVY 3500, 2012 Chevrolet 3500 4 x 4 heavy duty crew cab dually pickup. LTZ model with 8 foot box, 6.6 Liter 8 cylinder diesel, 133,204 miles. Excellent condition. Purchased in Arizona used to haul camper south in the winter and no longer needed. White with beige leather interior, aftermarket 91 gallon auxiliary fuel tank, tonneau cover, after market front and rear bumpers, def tank rock guard, spray in bedliner and new batteries. Asking $39,000. 701-2203463, Steve Baumgartner, Bismarck.

ELECTRIC FURNACE, Legend Aire with all needed to put into new location. Wisconsin 2 cylinder motor, electric start. Nearly new 1370 power shift transmission. 701-983-4445, John Flemmer, Golden Valley.

WANTED

PRAIRIE DOG HUNTERS to hunt on my land. Make reservations now; Email: larryn@westriv. com. 701-548-8020, Larry Nagel, Shields.

PICKUP/PARTS, 1998-2002 Dodge 2nd generation pickups or parts. 701-252-4858, Larry Burkle, Jamestown.

OLD STUFF, ND License plates, Advertising signs, old gas pumps, old metal oil cans, Advertising thermometers, or anything that has small town advertising on it. Looking for old ND road signs, ND Highway Patrol metal door sign, ND picked arrowheads, ND small town metal trade tokens, Red Wing crocks, old marbles. Will travel to your location. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.

NDFU district director elections

NDFU/AIC board elections are being held for officers in even-numbered districts at the state convention Dec. 13-14 in Bismarck. Directors serve two-year terms, while the president and vice president are elected each year. Candidacy announcements should be submitted to the office of the president and be no longer than 200 words. Announcements must be submitted by Thursday, Oct. 10, for the November edition.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION

1.Title of Publication: North Dakota Farmers Union Union Farmer

2. Publication #: 01-6211

3. Date of filing: 9-21-2023

4. Issue Frequency: Monthly

5. Issues per year: 12

6. Annual subscription: $30 members

7. Complete address of known office of publication: 1415 12th Avenue SE, Jamestown, ND 58401

8. Complete mailing address of headquarters: 1415 12th Avenue SE, Jamestown, ND 58401

9. Full name and address of publisher:

Mark Watne, NDFU President, 1415 12th Avenue SE, Jamestown, ND 58401

Full name and address of editor:

Chris Aarhus, 1415 12th Avenue SE, Jamestown, ND 58401

10. There are no known bondholders, mortgagees and other security holders owning or holding one percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities.

11. Known bondholders, mortgages and other security holders owning or holding one percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None

12. Tax status has not changed during preceding 12 months.

13. Publication title: North Dakota Farmers Union Union Farmer

14. Issue date for circulation data below: September 1, 2024

Extent and Nature of Circulation 12 Issue Average Actual Number Last Run

CONVENTION NOTICE FOR NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

To All Members:

Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America, North Dakota Division. Pursuant to Article III. Section 2, of the Bylaws of this Association, you are hereby notified that the 98th annual State Convention of the Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America, North Dakota Division, is being held at the Bismarck Event Center, Bismarck, North Dakota, Dec. 13-14, 2024. Official business at 9:15 a.m., Dec. 13, 2024

Mark Watne, President ATTEST: Wes Niederman, Secretary

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF AGRARIA MUTUAL GROUP

15.d

Policyholders of Farmers Union Insurance Company are members of Agraria Mutual Group and are hereby notified that the annual meeting is being held at the Bismarck Event Center, Bismarck, ND, Dec. 13-14, 2024. Official business begins at 9:15 a.m. on Dec. 13, 2024.

Mark Watne, President

ATTEST: Kristi Schlosser Carlson, Secretary