Union Farmer - July 2026

NDFU union farmer CELEBRATING 250 YEARS OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE

103 YEARS

YOUNG

Nearing her 104th birthday, Anna Seeba of Grafton reflects on a lifetime of hard work and family

JULY 2026

GET TO KNOW A FARMERS UNION INSURANCE AGENCY

Amber Grist Agency I am originally from Mott, N.D. After graduating, I became a licensed massage therapist and veterinary technician. In 2006, my husband Kelly and I returned to Mott to raise our family, and we are proud parents to three children — Allison, William and Emily.

I was a stay-at-home mom until 2017, when I joined the Brad Greff Agency as a customer service representative. Over the next seven years, I discovered how meaningful this career is and how important it is to be there for the people in our community. In December 2023, I became an agent and officially took over on Jan. 1, 2024, following Brad's retirement. The most rewarding part of work is building relationships and helping others in any way I can.

Outside of work, I have enjoyed coaching elementary and junior high basketball, participating in Optimist tournaments, and serving as a Lions member and volunteer EMT for the past six years. I also enjoy helping with the Regent Lions Club’s annual basketball jamboree.

I look forward to continuing to serve and support our community for years to come, building lasting relationships and being a trusted resource for those I have the privilege to help.

Amber Grist Agency 309 Brown Ave Mott ND 58646 PH: 701-824-3318

UNION FARMER MAGAZINE Volume 73 • Number 7

The UNION FARMER is published monthly

by North Dakota Farmers Union at 1415 12th Ave SE, Jamestown, ND 58401.

EDITOR: Chris Aarhus 800-366-6338 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: 36,597 • USPS 016-211 2 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

SIMPLY DIFFERENT! CONNECT WITH US North Dakota Farmers Union

@NDFarmersUnion @NDFarmersUnion

Read the Union Farmer online at

https://ndfu.org/news/union-farmer BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Matt Perdue • Vice President: Bob Kuylen Secretary: Tyler Stafslien • Treasurer: Shane Sickler Directors: Dave Berger, Bob Finken; Jon Iverson; Ben Vig, Shelly Ziesch.

Celebrate Agriculture, Celebrate America W

hen the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago, they did so on behalf of a largely agrarian society. In fact, roughly 90% of Americans were farmers in 1776. As we commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday, let’s also celebrate the remarkable contribution agriculture has made to our country.

Agriculture in America long predates the arrival of Europeans. Indigenous cultures domesticated corn roughly 9,000 years ago in southern Mexico and have cultivated it in the present-day United States for over 4,000 years. The first English colonists in America would have never survived had they not learned how to produce corn and other crops from native tribes.

By the time of the Revolutionary War, the population of the 13 colonies had grown to about 2.5 million. Most of those people lived in rural areas, and not in the urban centers that house the few surviving colonial sites. Philadelphia, the largest city in the colonies, was about the size Williston, N.D., is today. The United States was born as an overwhelmingly rural and agricultural nation.

Over the next 150 years, agriculture would lure immigrants who grew the country’s population and landmass. The Scotch-Irish pushed America’s frontier to the Appalachian Mountains and beyond. The plantation system drove the forced migration of 10 million Africans, whose enslavement became the central question of the Civil War. In the decades following that bloody conflict, the

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE NDFU President Matt Perdue

Homestead Act enticed waves of immigrants from Norway, Sweden, Germany (and of course, Germans from Russia), and other European countries.

By the late 1800s, the U.S. had become the world’s dominant agricultural producer. In the decades that followed, the country built on that agrarian foundation to become an industrial power. That transformation — the Second Industrial Revolution — finally tipped the scales from a primarily rural, agrarian society to a primarily urban, industrial one.

Despite the steady decline in the number of farms and ranches, we remain an agricultural powerhouse thanks to the dedication of our country’s hard-working producers.

NDFU’s Policy and Action says family farms and ranches are “the keystone of a free, progressive, democratic society.” The history of America serves as evidence of that fact. Agriculture was critical to the birth, growth and evolution of our country. No other industry has made so complete and so lasting an impact on our country’s 250year history. That contribution should be celebrated from coast to coast on the Fourth of July.

Happy Birthday, America!

NDFU.org • July 2026 • 5

conference programming Friday, July 17 5:30 p.m.

Social with appetizers at the Heritage Center Patio.

Saturday, July 18 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

JOE Wiegand Theodore Roosevelt Reprisor

A family-friendly wee learning and connect

"A Teddy Roosevelt Salute to Farmers Union"

JOE Morrissette State of North Dakota Budget Director "North Dakota Budget Fiscal Trends"

hosted at the newly op

en

Theodor Roosevel Presidentia Library

BRYON Parman NDSU Associate Professor "Managing Margins in Today's Economy"

COLLIN Peterson Former House Agriculture Chairman "Fireside Chat: The Past & Future of Ag Policy"

Breakfast & Boxed Lunch Included 6 • June 2026 • Union Farmer

Register t Event

Limited spot available!

All times listed are Mou

ekend of leadership, tion in the Badlands!

ned

re lt al ry

today on tbrite

ts

untain Standard Time (MST).

Youth activities Saturday, July 18 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

FREE for K-12 youth.

Registration required.

Mini Camp featuring cooperative games, skits, crafts and camp-inspired activities!

Tour of the Chateau de Mores, a historical site!

Includes breakfast, education, travel to and from the tour and a visit to the Medora Children's Park!

Question.

Persuade.

Refer.

A FREE workshop presented by NDSU Extension at NDFU’s Summer Conference at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 18.

Why attend?

Agriculture can bring unique stressors and challenges. This workshop provides practical tools to recognize signs of distress, offer support and connect individuals with professional resources.

1. QUESTION a person about suicide.

2. PERSUADE a suicidal person to get help.

3. REFER a suicidal person to the appropriate resources.

This free workshop can be selected as an add-on during Summer Conference registration or registered for separately through the same Eventbrite link.

NDFU.org • June 2026 • 7

Dr. Sandro Steinbach (left), director, and Dr. Matthew Gammans, assistant director, lead the Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies, housed within North Dakota State University. The center researches and analyzes data for use by decision-makers like Congress or for membership organizations like North Dakota Farmers Union.

8 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

CENTERED ON

TRADE

NDSU's CAPTS provides stakeholders with meaningful data in decision-making

A

gricultural trade seems to make the news nearly every day now, influencing everything from farm prices to global politics. Whether it’s being used to set policy or make political arguments, someone has to churn through the data and make sense of it.

Enter the Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies (CAPTS), an institute housed within North Dakota State University in Fargo with a team of researchers focused on studying and analyzing agricultural trade.

Dr. Sandro Steinbach, the director of the center, said it works with stakeholders to determine topics — be it trade or other areas of ag policy — that are most relevant to the place and time.

“We have (an) advisory board that has a bunch of the key players on it in agriculture,” Steinbach said. “They address problems within agriculture and come up with challenges, and we work together to provide policy and

economic analysis.”

North Dakota Farmers Union President Matt Perdue serves as chair of the advisory committee. Farmers Union has long been a supporter of the center, as one of Steinbach’s titles is, “the Farmers Union Endowed Professor of Agribusiness,” with financial and other support coming from Farmers Union Enterprises.

“We are grateful for the continued support of Farmers Union in getting policy really at the forefront,” Steinbach said. “With our (relationship), there’s a constant stream of good information in both directions. It allows us to work toward issues that (producers) care about, like trade or consolidation.”

Dr. Matthew Gammans, assistant director, said an ag policy center itself isn’t unique, but North Dakota’s is different because it focuses heavily on trade.

CONTINUED TO NEXT PAGE

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU NDFU.org • July 2026 • 9

Sign up for the monthly

Trade Monitor

from CAPTS at https://www.capts-ndsu.com/

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE “Trade is so important to North Dakota,” he said. “The center is unique both in its focus but then also in how much it works directly with stakeholder groups around the state.”

Joining NDFU on the board include commodity groups representing sugar, corn, soybeans, wheat and other grains, as well as the office of North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and three representatives from North Dakota’s congressional delegation. Food processing is also represented.

Steinbach said the foundation of the center is the actual academic research.

“If you do good work on the academic side and on the research side,” then you can actually add value for your stakeholders,” Steinbach said.

One of those benefits has been the center’s trade monitor, a monthly report that can be emailed or viewed on their website that “combines comprehensive trade statistics with expert analysis.” The issues over the last few months have ranged from fertilizer supply disruption in the Strait of Hormuz to a review of the impact of China’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. ag exports. Gammans said it’s been well-received since its inception more than a year ago.

“The trade monitor has been a huge success,” Gammans said. “I wasn’t sure that we would have new information to put out each month at the level of quality we’re used to. But we’ve been able to, especially with the folks that have been brought in on the (Agricultural Risk Policy Center) side. Combining our resources together, every month we’ve put out something really interesting.”

The hard part, Steinbach and Gammans say, is getting accurate data, not uncommon for researchers but even more difficult in the Upper Midwest.

10 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

“Getting reliable data to understand the North Dakota farm economy,” Steinbach said. “Luckily, we are building infrastructure on the ARPC side that allows us to really dial into producers and understand what the implications are of policy shifts.”

The impact of the center’s work can be seen not only in use within industry, but also in policymaking at the state and federal level.

The center’s research has been cited in congressional testimony, in meetings at the White House and is often used at the state legislature.

“Some of the topics we research may be more liked by industry, and some may be more liked by farmers, and the results may not be liked at all by decision-makers,” Steinbach said. “It’s up to us to provide independent, nonpartisan information to contribute to the discussion. There is nothing in our work that is advocacy.”

Steinbach said the center is always looking to educate, even working toward building a certificate program in which a student could be placed with an ag organization for an internship in Washington, D.C. They’re also working on another initiative in which a legislative assistant in Washington, D.C., could potentially come out to North Dakota for a few days to learn about agriculture.

Good policymaking depends on good researchers providing good data, Steinbach said. He credited the center’s strong group of researchers and support staff for their success, adding that they have made CAPTS truly different.

“We have built something unique here,” he said. “It combines expertise from different fields into a melting pot that can provide strong research that’s vital to our stakeholders and can enhance a lot of the ongoing discussions around trade. Good research is always publicly relevant and helps inform the public discourse.”

The Farmer’s Share Did you know farmers and ranchers only earn 15.9¢* of every dollar that consumers spend on food?

American farmers only see a small fraction of the money we spend on food. Even though grocery prices continue to rise, the extra money we pay at the grocery store doesn’t go into farmers’ pockets -- it goes to the multibillion-dollar food companies that have squeezed out competition to maximize their profits.

Bread

1 LOAF

Milk

1 GAL

Eggs

1 DOZEN

Retail:

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Retail:

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Farmer:

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Apples

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Learn more at nfu.org/farmersshare

GRAIN BIN SAFETY • Never enter grain bins unless absolutely necessary • Use a secure lifeline (harness, rope) when entering • Never walk on or walk down grain to make it flow • Break up grain with a pole from outside the bin • Always have an attendant outside the bin

Find more ag safety info at ndsc.org NDFU.org • July 2026 • 11

CROPLAND VALUES SLOW AMID BAD AG ECONOMY After four years of double-digit growth in North Dakota’s average cropland prices, 2026 reports indicate that values have slowed momentum or even slightly reversed the trend in some regions.

According to the North Dakota Department of Trust Land’s annual land survey data, statewide cropland values grew 0.88% from 2025 to 2026. The North Dakota County Rents and Prices Annual Survey is available at www.land.nd.gov/resources/ north-dakota-county-rents-prices-annual-survey.

Bryon Parman, North Dakota State University

Extension agricultural finance specialist, says he saw the average flatten after four straight years of value increases. For easy interpretation across the state, Parman assembled the data by NDSU Extension region.

While the state average showed little or no growth, there were much wider region-specific swings: the North Central had a land price increase of over 8%, the Northwest grew at nearly 6%, the South Central saw an increase of just below 5% and the East Central increased approximately 2%.

However, the Southeast reported a decline in

ESTIMATED AVERAGE PER ACRE VALUES OF CROPLAND IN NORTH DAKOTA FROM 2020 TO 2026

cropland values of nearly -7.5%, the Southwest declined by just over -3% and the Northeast declined almost -1%.

The North and South Red River Valley showed little change in cropland prices from 2025 to 2026.

Rents, for the first time in several years, increased more than land prices, with a statewide increase of 2%. However, rents were less variable than land prices. Three regions — the Southwest, Southeast and North Red River Valley — remained essentially unchanged, moving up or down by less than 1%. The largest rent decline was in the South Red River Valley at -2.5%.

The remaining regions saw rental rate increases. The largest increase occurred in the North Central at 8.2%, followed by the East Central, where rents increased 6.5%. The Northwest increased approximately 4.5%, South Central 2.7% and Northeast just under 2%.

“While it was widely expected that there

would be a slowdown in cropland price growth across the state, which the state average supports, it is a bit surprising to see the wider regional swings,” says Parman.

When farm profits are thin and begin to impact land values, the volume of sales tends to slow. When that happens, the sales that do occur will have a much larger influence.

“So, if there were a region where a few individuals are making purchases, this could drive those averages up, while in other regions, a few sales at below the previous years’ averages can pull those averages down further than they normally would,” explains Parman.

However, rental rates typically adjust more slowly, as rents are often multiyear contracts that require several years of low net farm incomes to trigger major adjustments.

For more information, contact Parman at bryon.parman@ndsu.edu.

Article and graphics courtesy of NDSU Ag Communications.

ESTIMATED AVERAGE CASH RENT PER ACRE OF CROPLAND IN NORTH DAKOTA FROM 2020 TO 2026

NDFU.org • July 2026 • 13

PASTURELAND VALUES CONTINUE TO RISE As North Dakota cropland values flattened from 2025 to 2026, pastureland values continued to rise.

Bryon Parman, North Dakota State University Extension agricultural finance specialist, says pastureland values increased approximately 7% from 2025. Since 2021, North Dakota statewide pastureland values have increased from $972 to $1,556 per acre, reflecting a 37.5% increase in five years.

These values are based on the North Dakota Department of Trust Land’s annual land survey data. For easy interpretation across the state, Parman assembled the data

by NDSU Extension region. The North Dakota County Rents and Prices Annual Survey is available at https://www.land.nd.gov/resources/ north-dakota-county-rents-prices-annual-survey.

“This year marks the first time since being tracked that every NDSU Extension region’s pastureland values were over $1,000 per acre,” says Parman.

The NDSU regions do not include values for the north or south Red River Valley, nor the northeast region, due to low numbers of reported pastureland rental rates or sales values. Parman recommends observing trends or multiyear movements rather than

ESTIMATED AVERAGE PER ACRE VALUES OF PASTURE IN NORTH DAKOTA FROM 2021 TO 2026

single-year variation for an accurate reflection of conditions.

Every NDSU Extension region saw at least a small increase, with the largest occurring in the northwest, where pastureland values grew from $936 to $1,186 per acre. The north central and southeast also grew, averaging $1,332 and $2,154, respectively, or 4.4% and 4.7%. The east central and south central pastureland values grew less — approximately 2.5% each — and the southwest recorded the smallest increase at just over 1%.

Pastureland rents also increased, but at a slower pace than land values. State average pastureland rents increased by just over 4%.

Average pastureland rents declined slightly in the southeast, falling from $38 to $35 per acre.

However, rents were either flat or increased everywhere else: the north central region increased $2 per acre to total $24, the east central increased $3 per acre to total $30 and the south central increased by $3 per acre to total $32. The remaining regions’ rent averages

saw no or very slight changes.

“The growth in pastureland values isn’t all that surprising given where beef cattle prices have been the last couple of years,” says Parman. “However, some people might have expected a much larger increase in pastureland rents from 2025 to 2026, which did not appear to have happened.”

The economics of pasture rents differ from those of cropland. Typically, extremely high beef cattle prices are due to low cattle inventories. Low cattle inventories means there isn’t an immediate demand to rent more pasture, so there’s no pressure to drive rents up despite high beef prices.

Pastureland values, however, are impacted by high beef prices, which can factor into a longer-term growth plan, rather than a one- or two-year decision.

For more information, contact Parman at bryon.parman@ndsu.edu.

Article and graphics courtesy of NDSU Ag Communications.

ESTIMATED AVERAGE CASH RENT PER ACRE OF PASTURE IN NORTH DAKOTA FROM 2021 TO 2026

NDFU.org • July 2026 • 15

thriving 103 and

Anna Seeba of Grafton reflects fondly on a century of memories on eve of 104th birthday

BY PAM MUSLAND, NDFU

Anna Seeba dropped her car insurance in April of last year.

“I went to town and the light changed and I couldn’t see for a moment if it was green or red,” she explains. “Then I came home, stopped in front of the garage and said to myself, ‘Anna, put the car in there and leave it.’ I hated to, but I just didn’t want to have an accident.”

Anna Seeba will turn 104 on July 25.

Her Farmers Union Insurance agent, Lynn Kadlec, was actually surprised by her auto policy news “because normally people want to stay pretty independent,” he says.

“She is a very sweet lady, very sharp and you wouldn’t think she is a day over 80.” Truer words were never spoken.

Living alone on her farm near Grafton where she and her late husband Cyril raised six children, Anna Seeba is steady on her feet.

She does her own cooking, cleaning and laundry, while her children and grandchildren come help her, too.

Her picture window looks out at land she has been wedded to since 1946, when she and Cyril exchanged “I dos” and moved into the farmhouse with his parents.

DIRTY THIRTIES

Anna was born in 1922 on a farm in Walsh County, less than 20 miles from the Seeba farm, the seventh of 15 children. During the Great Depression, her father lost their farm but fortunately found land he could rent across the Red River at Argyle, Minn.

“I still remember when we moved because it was such an exciting thing for us kids,” she says, reliving memories as a 10-year-old in a voice that carries a Polish lilt. “My dad’s nephews came and helped us move. It was in the years where people didn’t have a lot of money, so everybody helped one another.

“We probably had it tough, but we were lucky because we lived on a farm, so you always had meat, milk and different things that grew. In the cities, they absolutely didn’t have nothing to eat. It was so dry for those years. They always called it the Dirty Thirties, and it was. Those years were not nice.”

PRISONERS OF WAR

As she and her brothers and sisters grew, they helped earn income by working in sugar beet fields for area farmers.

CONTINUED TO PAGE 18

16 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

Cyril and Anna Seeba with their sons and daughter Darlene. Standing, left to right: Rodney, Leo, Loren, Robert and Daniel. Leo passed away three years ago from the effects of Agent Orange. He, Daniel and Rodney all served in Vietnam.

Anna Seeba of Grafton, a Farmers Union policyholder of more than 40 years, will celebrate her 104th birthday on July 25. Anna and her late husband Cyril raised six children on their family farm, where they have been since 1946.

NDFU.org • July 2026 • 17

Wish Anna a Happy Birthday!

If you’d like to wish Anna a happy birthday, send a card in her name to Farmers Union Insurance agent Lynn Kadlec’s address below. He will hand deliver the cards to her on her 104th birthday, which will be July 25.

Mail cards to: Farmers Union Insurance Attn: Anna Seeba 621 Hill Ave Grafton, ND 58237

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 “We used to crawl on our hands and knees in the fields to do blocking,” she says. “You just had to pull out all the weeds or if there was an extra sugar beet, we had to pull it.”

She and her sister also did housework for mothers who had just delivered a baby and needed an extra helping hand. But the sugar beet fields were never far away.

In 1945, she and her brother worked the harvest with German prisoners of war. “They brought them out with a truck and a guy came out and watched them all day, an Army guy,” she said. “They were on the ground working beside us topping” the beets with knives, because farmers couldn’t get help due to the labor shortage caused by the war.

During World War II, hundreds of German and Italian prisoners of war were held in camps throughout the Red River Valley, according to retired UND professor Kenneth Dawes in a 2016 Grand Forks Herald article. From 1942 to 1946, a total of 425,000 POWs were held in the U.S., a vast majority of them German but also Italians and Japanese.

“There were prisoners of war in Minnesota also. They were Italians and a lot noisier,” Anna says with a chuckle. “The Germans were more quiet. They were really nice. They talked to us very quiet. One thing they told us is they didn’t want to fight us, but they had to.”

FAMILY & NEIGHBORS

Cyril Seeba served in the Army in Belgium and France from November 1942 to April 1946.

He came home with shrapnel in his back “but he survived and was one that never, I guess, complained,” says Anna. She and Cyril met on a blind date and were soon married.

There is a twinkle in Anna’s eye when she speaks of Cyril. He’s been gone almost 35 years now, but he seems very much present in the place where they built a life together. From 18 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

the joys and challenges of raising a family to the many firsts – indoor plumbing on the farm and electricity (a clothes washing machine was their first modern appliance).

“Everybody worked, you know, like maybe they did something different, but they all worked hard,” says Anna of the Greatest Generation.

When their children were older, Anna worked a variety of jobs in Grafton, including stints at The Walsh County Record and a pizza house. Her last job was at the hospital in housekeeping, where she worked well past retirement age and refuses to say how old. “My husband was gone, so I just stayed working for years. I worked past 65 years of age. I did and I loved it.”

At 91, Anna underwent surgery for colon and stomach cancer at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “They wanted me to do treatments but it’s such a long thing for your family. I just decided I’m hoping for the best and it worked out for me.”

Her hope is rooted in a strong faith and love of her family. She still has one sister living in Minnesota. “She’s got dementia. I miss her because we used to call. She and I are the only two left out of the 15 kids and the in-laws are all gone,” she says.

When asked the secret to longevity, there is a long pause. “I don’t really know. Everybody says it is hard work and I can’t say that because my husband died not really old (at 70), and he was a hard worker. There’s just more people, I think, going to 100 now.”

Lately, she is sorting papers, dishes and things in her house for her family to take. And she doesn’t dwell on “what ifs.”

“I’m never scared [living alone]. I never went down that road. Maybe I just made up my mind I was gonna do it. I probably would have been scared if I wouldn’t have had the neighbors opening the yard [in the winter]. They’re so good to me. It’s wonderful. That’s why I say I have it good. I think it’s your neighborhood a lot.”

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AGENTS HONORED AT SALES CONFERENCE

Farmers Union Insurance agents from North Dakota, South Dakota and Arkansas met June 8-11 at the Bismarck Hotel and Conference Center for the Farmers Union Insurance Agents 2026 Sales Conference.

Farmers Union Insurance honored agents for their 2025 success and gave out awards for years of service. Pictured with each winner is Farmers Union Insurance CEO Mark Anderson.

The agency of Jamie Ressler, Jed Geer and Beck Hruby of Bismarck won the Agraria Agency of the Year award. They were also named Personal Lines Agency of the Year.

The agency of Lance Gulleson and Shelby Olson was named Farmers Union Insurance Agency of the Year.

Dominic Noonan of Fargo was named Financial Products Agency of the Year.

The agency of Dan Ness, Kim Zinke and Armen Hanson (not pictured) was named Crop Agency of the Year.

10 • June 2025 • Union Farmer

District 1 manager Greg Limke accepts the award, as District 1 was named District of the Year.

8 ••June 20 June2026 July 2026 2026• ••Union Union UnionFarmer Farmer Farmer

The Tom Sanders Agency in Fargo was named Commercial Lines Agency of the Year.

Premier agent awards

Pictured above from left: In back are Garrett Murphy and Aaron Johansen of Dickinson, Jamie Ressler of Bismarck, Dan Ness of Devils Lake, Kim Zinke of Devils Lake, Farmers Union Insurance CEO Mark Anderson, Jerod Lematta of Ellendale and Ryan Opdahl of Hillsboro. In front are Beck Hruby of Bismarck, Ryan Schnell of Bismarck, Jed Geer of Bismarck, Brandi Larson of Stanley, and Lance Gulleson and Shelby Olson of Lisbon.

$2M+ crop agencies

Hanson-Zinke-Ness of Devils Lake Russell Stremick of Langdon Zunich-Johnson of Williston Chris Arnston of Maddock Byron-Thompson of Park River Jerry Essler of Kenmare Larsen-Vassen of Crosby David Bergeman of Forman/Oakes

Harrison Aide of Williston was named Rookie Agent of the Year.

Axtman-Walker of Rugby Gulleson-Olson of Lisbon Jennifer Worley of Cavalier Lucas Schumacher of New Rockford Chad Oswald of Wilton Marcus Fischer of Bowman Renae Fayette of Grafton

Beth Kohler was named Adjuster of the Year.

NDFU.org NDFU.org NDFU.org • June ••2025 • June June 2026 • 2026 11 • 21 NDFU.org July 2026 •• 219

FUSA Million Dollar Agencies

David Bergeman, Forman/Oakes $10 million

Dominic Noonan, Fargo $10 million

Toby Kuntz-Ryan Ressler, Mandan $5 million

Tyler Waslien-Scott Cramer of Casselton $2 million

FUI SUPPORTS YOUTH CAMPS

Farmers Union Insurance agents, management, staff and vendors participated in a number of contests including a raffle, bowling and golfing tournaments as well as a putting contest. The games raised nearly $5,000 for Farmers Union camps in North and South Dakota.

Russell Stremick of Langdon $2 million

The agents celebrating $1 million in new business from left: JR Johnson of Williston, Garrett Murphy of Dickinson, Sjon Zunich of Williston, Aaron Johansen of Dickinson, Jamie Ressler, Jed Geer and Beck Hruby of Bismarck, Shelby Olson of Lisbon, Courtney Schauer of Mandan, Phil Halvorson of Mandan, Lance Gulleson of Lisbon and Scott Sabers of South Dakota.

22 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

YEARS OF SERVICE 25 years

Mike Rene of Jamestown and Donna Enders of South Dakota

20 years

15 years

Jed Geer of Bismarck and Aaron Dunphy of Grand Forks

Steve Heilman of Minot and Michelle Seibel of Elgin

10 years Celebrating their 10-year anniversaries are Lewis Schock of Mandan, Heidi Fields of South Dakota, Ryan Schnell of Bismarck, Andrew Mefferd of South Dakota, Jerrod Lematta of Ellendale, Lezlie Beuchler of Minot and Christopher Walker of Rugby.

Not pictured is Russ Stremick of Langdon.

5 years Celebrating their 5-year anniversaries are Kjell Vassen of Crosby, Kim Erickson of Hettinger, DeAnn Bueligen of New Salem, Brandi Larson of Stanley, Charles Huber of Grenora, Judith Allison of Arkansas and Robert Johnson of Mandan.

NDFU.org • July 2026 • 23

How to use the

NDFU MOBILE APP

Members can use the same email address and password they use for the NDFU portal to log into the app. If you do not know your password, use the “Forgot Your Password” option. NDFU must have an email address on file for you to use the app. If we do not have an email address for you, please call 1-800-366-6338 or email us at ndfu@ndfu.org to have it attached to your account.

1

2

3

Login with your email address and password. Use the email address where you receive your NDFU communications.

Follow the on-screen prompts to login. NDFU utilizes two-factor authentication for security purposes.

Enter the code to get into the app. If the texting option does not work the first time, try again and choose the email option.

If you don’t know your portal password, use the Forgot Your Password option!

Choose to receive your two-factor code via text or email!

You will stay logged into the NDFU app continually, providing you open the app once a month!

4 8 ••• June February 2024 2024 •2024 •Union Union Farmer 26 22 • June December 2024 •Union •Farmer Union Farmer Farmer 12 August 2024 •Union Farmer

Are you and your family headed to NDFU's summer conference in Medora?

Download the NDFU app and enable notifications to receive real-time updates on bus schedules, planned events and more!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Do I have to be a member to log into the app?

Yes. The app is for NDFU members. Those who would like to become members can sign up at NDFU.org!

What if NDFU doesn’t have my email address?

Like any online service, we require an email address to use the mobile app. Contact us at 1-800-366-6338 or ndfu@ndfu.org to have an email address added to your account. Additionally, if we have a different email address on file than the one you’re currently using, you can use the one we have on file or contact us with your new address.

NDFU has my email, but I’ve never used the online portal. What’s my password?

Search NDFU in the app store or scan the QR code. Download the app, use the Forgot Password link on the login screen and follow the on-screen prompts to set a new password using the email address we have on file for you!

If you continue to have trouble logging in, contact Chris Aarhus in the Communications Department at 701-952-0118 or caarhus@ndfu.org.

NDFU.org NDFU.org • February • June 2024 2024••27 9

POLICY HOPPER FROM NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

Understanding the 2026 base acre update The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) authorized the first major change to farm program base acres since 2002. The legislation authorized the allocation of up to 30 million new base acres nationwide, expanding the number of acres eligible for Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments. Base acres are important because they are used to calculate potential payments under ARC and PLC. North Dakota is expected to be one of the largest beneficiaries of the update.

According to analysis of USDA data by NDSU’s Agricultural Risk Policy Center, North Dakota farms could be eligible for approximately 2.88 million additional base acres under the new formula. If realized, that would represent roughly 8% of the acres authorized by Congress and would rank second only to Texas.

Across the Upper Midwest, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota are projected to account for approximately 7.25 million acres of potential eligibility, nearly one-quarter of the nationwide total. These figures are estimates of potential eligibility, however, and should not be confused with final allocations.

WHY NORTH DAKOTA BENEFITS

North Dakota's projected eligibility reflects significant changes in cropping patterns since the last base acre update. NDSU researchers estimate soybean producers could be eligible for approximately 695,000 additional base acres, while corn producers could be eligible for approximately 535,000 additional acres.

Wheat producers are projected to account for the largest share of potential eligibility, with more than a million additional acres estimated statewide. Western North Dakota is expected to receive a larger share of the increase than eastern counties, largely due to the conversion of grassland into cropland and expanded wheat production over the past two decades.

26 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

It is important to understand that these acres are additions to existing base acres, not a reallocation of current base acres. Existing base acres will remain in place. Landowners will not have to apply for the additional base acres, rather USDA will make the calculation.

The update simply provides an opportunity for qualifying farms, with available planted acres beyond their historical base, to receive new base acres. Action is only necessary if landowners want to opt-out or if planted acre corrections are needed.

HOW THE FORMULA WORKS

The process for determining additional base acres is based on reported planted acres. While planting history serves as the foundation of the calculation, USDA applies limitations before determining how many acres a farm may qualify to receive.

The calculation begins with a farm's five-year average of planted and prevented planted covered commodity acres from 2019 through 2023. USDA then adds the lesser of either 15% of the farm's effective DCP* cropland and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage or the farm's five-year average of eligible noncovered commodity acres. The average total acres of covered and non-covered histories combined is compared to the existing 2024 base acres to determine the potential base acre increase. Once eligibility is calculated, any additional base acres are assigned among covered commodities according to the farm planting mix during the 2019-2023 period.

Because the calculation relies on a five-year average and multiple acreage limitations, the final result may be different from a simple count of acres planted in a particular year. The formula determines a farm's potential eligibility, but additional factors, like the proration of 30 million acres nationally, may further reduce the number of acres ultimately allocated.

UNDERSTANDING THE BASE ACRE UPDATE Free webinar • Thursday, July 16 • 10 a.m.

Join us for a special Beyond the Field webinar with Brandi LaFramboise of the Farm Service Agency, as she provides an overview of the 2026 base acre update. She'll discuss what producers need to know and answer any questions.

Register at NDFU.org

A misunderstood aspect of the update is that eligibility does not guarantee allocation.

To qualify for additional base acres, a farm's calculated planting history must exceed its existing 2024 base acreage. Farms whose current base acres already reflect their planting history may receive little or no additional allocation.

Another important limitation involves what USDA refers to as "free acres." Under Farm Service Agency guidance, free acres are calculated by subtracting existing base acres from a farm's effective DCP cropland. Before any new base acres can be assigned, a farm must have enough free acres available to absorb the allocation. In practice, this means existing base acres are accounted for first.

A farm may qualify for additional base acres under the formula but still receive fewer acres than expected if it lacks sufficient free acres.

Farms that are already fully based relative to their cropland acreage may receive little or no increase despite otherwise qualifying under the planting-history calculation.

Another provision is the treatment of noncovered commodities. While most discussion has focused on program commodities such as corn, soybeans and wheat; non-covered commodities can also contribute toward a

farm's eligibility calculation. However, their contribution is limited to 15% of a farm's effective DCP cropland and CRP acreage.

WHAT LANDOWNERS SHOULD DO

Landowners have from June 1 through Aug. 31, 2026, to review their Base Allocation Summary and determine whether any action is necessary. Corrections may be needed if acreage history is inaccurate or incomplete, if subsequent acres must be designated or if a landowner wishes to opt out of the update.

Because USDA notifications are being sent directly to landowners, producers should work closely with landlords to ensure records are reviewed and any necessary corrections are made before the deadline.

The update presents a significant opportunity for North Dakota agriculture, particularly for farms whose production has expanded since the last base acre update in 2002.

However, producers and landowners should remember that statewide projections represent estimates of potential eligibility, not guaranteed allocations. Results will depend on individual farm circumstances, available free acres and USDA's implementation of the program.

— By the NDFU Gov. Relations staff. The Farm Service Agency contributed to this article.

NOTE *DCP – Direct and Counter – Cycle Program: DCP cropland is land currently classified as cropland, land enrolled in a production flexibility contract, or land classified as cropland after April 4, 1996, that remains in agricultural use.

SOURCES https://www.arpc-ndsu.com/post/additional-base-acres-in-the-upper-midwest-for-crop-year-2026 https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-policy/first-arc-plc-base-acre-update-in-24-years-coming-june-1 https://www.farmcrediteast.com/en/resources/todays-harvest-Blog/260609CG_BaseAcreReviewForFarmers https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2026/03/new-commodity-program-base-acres.html https://raff.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2025-07-2-RaFF-Policy-Brief.pdf https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-events/news/05-26-2026/usda-announces-base-acre-increase-opportunity-agriculture-risk-price NDFU.org • July 2026 • 27

What's happening At All-States Camp, five youth were voted in for this year's National Youth Advisory Council.

From left: Lily Thomas (Bismarck), North Dakota Farmers Union; Easton Hansen, Wisconsin Farmers Union; Carter Hass (Valley City), North Dakota Farmers Union; Darla Fesmire and Taryn McCaa, Oklahoma Farmers Union.

Grant County Farmers Union held an EPIC event May 30 at Heart Butte camp, where kids learned about co-ops and companion planting. The kids broke into groups, with the oldest serving as captains, each group planning and planting their own garden. Afterward, they sat down and enjoyed a much-deserved treat.

Jonas Sanders, the nephew of FUI agent Aaron Stuckle, hands out free donuts in front of the agency at Emmons County Ag Day June 12 in Linton.

NDFU set up a table as part of the co-op corner, and Emmons County Farmers Union President Darius Aberle drove a truck with the ECFU banner in the parade.

28 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

Board members of McHenry and Ward County Farmers Union enjoyed meeting everyone who stopped by their booth at the Verendrye Electric Co-op annual meeting in Minot. NDFU camp information and prizes were given away.

Richland County Farmers Union presented Dakota Estates Administrator Diane Neiber and board treasurer Janice Illies a $500 Community Stewards check on behalf of NDFU on June 10 at a community picnic co-sponsored by RCFU in Lidgerwood.

around the state?

Farmers Union youth from Stark, Hettinger, Dunn and Mercer counties made a trip to Bismarck for a fun day of STEM education that included a tour of the Northern Lights Dairy in Mandan.

Dickey County Farmers Union held an EPIC event May 29 and had a fun-filled day learning about co-ops, making a beaded suncatcher and bowling.

Hettinger County Farmers Union sponsored “Toy Story 5” at the Playhouse Theater in Mott. Hettinger County Board President Jan Ottmar presented Cody Brown with a $500 Community Stewards donation to the theater.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH

THE TOUGH DEPEND on ARTEX

FUILLC.COM NDFU.org • July 2026 • 29

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!

POST HOLE AUGER, 3 pt post hole auger $3,000, skid steer post pounder (new, 3 different sizes available), Salford 5 ton fertilizer spreader $22,500. 701-516-2920, Aaron Subart, Robinson.

FARM

MOWER, New Holland 455 mower reconditioned, new paint, new guards & sickle, $3600; IH 9 ft mower, new paint new sickle ready to go to work, $3600; VICON 6 wheel rake, works great in road ditches, $1900; Double 9 rouse mower, new sickles, ready to go in the field, $7600; 36 ft drive over transport could be used for header transport, $900. Can deliver. 701-400-5742, Gerald Miller, Mandan.

FOR SALE

WANTED

JOHN DEERE AR, have two, one is restorable, other parts only / Allis-Chalmers 7040 136 PTO HP big single tires with dozer blade, 2 hydraulic outlets, 5700 hrs/ 4010 JD diesel/MinneapolisMoline; several lathes, drill press, make offer.

701-720-8096, Shelli Larson, Willow City.

TRACTORS, IH 706, 806, 1206, 756, 856, 1256, 1456, 1066, 1466, 1566 on up; 4520, 4620, 5010, 5020, 6030; MMs 950s on up; Olivers 1965 on up; ACs 175, 200, 210, 220, D-19, running or not. 701-628-2130, Jerry Lumley, Stanley.

ROTO TILLER, John Deere Rotor Tiller, Model 673 PTO 540, 73 inch tiller, purchased 2 years ago new, only 15 hours on machine.

Cannot use anymore. Excellent condition. S/N 1L0673BPL0130134. $4,200 or best offer. 701509-4617, Ray Steen, Donnybrook.

HAY WAGON, for chopped hay. 701-626-1492, Leo Thomas, Velva.

GRAIN BINS, two Butler 18-foot diameter, 5 rings high to be moved. $100 each. Dump rake complete, bent frame from snow, make offer.

701-351-3305, Arne Berg, Devils Lake.

AUGERS, 3 Hyd drive drill fill augers. 16’ with spout. 16’ with poly flighting and spout. 9’ no spout. 1 extra Hyd motor. 3 new garage doors.

8’x10’ steel white. 5 sections 5 panels with windows. All complete; Antique horse drawn dirt scoop. Very good condition. 701-430-3348, Jack Vadnie, Clifford.

MACDON CENTER CANVAS for Case/IH adapter, parts off 5710 Bourgault, 3pt. yard rake, 4 ft. yard sweep, 16 ft. car trailer, 250 gal. fuel barrel, old horse drawn equipment for yard ornaments, 18 ft. 5th wheel stock trailer, Vermeer 605 J baler, new 2 ft x 6 ft. galvanized water tank, still have about sixty sheets of 28 inch x 8 ft. galvanized steel. 701-339-1141, Marlow Nelson, Powers Lake.

DRILL, One 12’ Kirschmann Drill. One New Tire LT245-75R-Load Range E. 2-Cream Separators, 4-wheel Steel Running Gear, 1 Covered Wagon Running Gear, 1905 All metal JD Hand Operated Corn Sheller, like new has paint and serial number. Two NH 256 Rakes with Dual Hitch. Email: larryn@westriv.com. 701-5488020, Larry Nagel, Shields.

MOWERS, Two IHC grass mowers: one is IHC 100 series with 9 foot cutter bar. The other is the newer IHC 1100 series with 7 foot cutter bar. Both have been re-conditioned and have many new parts. Call or e-mail for price and information. 701-465-3749, Arlo Blumhagen, Drake.

CULTIVATOR, Folding 8 row cultivator, two rows fold on each end; Heavy 7 by 5 tube with double acting hoses, and rolling shields never been used for it. 701-626-1492, Leo Thomas, Velva.

30 • July 2026 • Union Farmer

FOR SALE

MISCELLANEOUS GAZELLE EDGE EXERCISER, like new, $75. 701349-4036, Della Pomplun, Ellendale.

2022 POLARIS SPORTSMAN 570. Like new, only 172 miles. Extras include windshield, mirrors, hitch, and tarp cover. Excellent condition, always shedded. $8000. 701-320-4933, Diane Hofmann, Medina.

RAILROAD SPEEDER ENGINE, Fairmont serial no.2767, on caster wheels, runs, estimate 8-10 hp. 701-260-0264, Sherman Severson, Dickinson.

FIREARMS/SCOPE, very nice Savage Fox 12 gauge Side by Side Double, 26” full and modified, checkered walnut, blued, single trigger, 1961-68, like new. $850; Leupold 12X 50mm, parallax adjustment, fine crosshairs with center dot. Came with a rifle and I prefer 3x9 variable. Great varmit/target scope. $475; Can ship to you or meet. FFL needed for the shotgun. 701-580-3357, Martin Hanson, Zahl.

MILITARY ITEMS, WWI and WWII German, Japanese and American Military Items: Uniforms, Hats, Helmets, Medals, Badges, Patches, Flags, Knives, Bayonets, Daggers, Swords, Leather Flight Jackets, Guns, Lugers Etc. Also WWIl North Dakota 164th Infantry Regiment Items. Email jgrindahl@gmail.com or call/text. 701-200-7125, John Grindahl, Fargo.

HOBART WIRE FEED WELDER, model handler 187 h100s; Two 10-gun volt wire feed welder 25-185 amp output, volts 230 amperes, 20.5 kw, 3088 phase 1 hertz 60 with welding cart.

701-337-6706, Paul Weinberger, Turtle Lake.

ANVILS, 100 to 175 pounds all in very good condition, porcelain Massey Harris sign 30" by 8' long, and a porcelain Standard Oil Company Products sign 12" by 10' long. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.

BEAR CAT GRINDER MIXER PARTS. I probably have the last inventory of new Bear Cat parts which is available anywhere. I have 2 gear cases, new gear case gears, shafts, hammers, bearings, and several other miscellaneous parts. Keep that dependable grinder mixer running for years yet.

Check with me as I may have the new parts you need. Text or leave a message. 701-833-2220, Jerome Behm, Burlington.

MOTORCYCLE, 2007 HD Softail Classic STC motorcycle, 29886 miles, good tires, lowering kit installed, windshied & back rest removable, battery tender, two matching helmets, lots of extras, sharp looking bike at $5900. 701-9890204, Ron Kraft, Bismarck.

4-WHEELER, 2015 Honda Ribcon 4X4, 1,700 Hours, 6,500 Miles, New Battery New Tires on Front, Doesn’t use oil, No transmission problems.. Asking $5,600 with new set of tires, $5,900. Email: larryn@westriv. com. 701-548-8020, Larry Nagel, Shields.

WINNEBAGO RV, 2005 Winnebago Vectra 40' motorhome with 400 Cummins and 4 slides; Radiators for Farmall H tractors. Columbia bike (1950s) and women's Schwinn bike; “prosumer" grade rotary laser level kit. Hardly used. $50. Please text for more info and prices.

701-789-0679, Anne Vig, Aneta.

HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE, 1989 Heritage Softtail Classic, two-toned Red and Maroon, 27k miles, lots of chrome, crash bar, windshield, saddle bags, one owner. HD tarp with strap. Can text or email pics. Good shape; Farm King auger, 10 inch, PTO, side delivery, need bearing bottom end, still great auger.

Willing to deal; Surrey cover for cab-less tractor.

701-263-1206, Lathan Romsos, Bottineau.

FENCING SUPPLIES, metal H corner posts/braces $120 (5-6 ct available); Railroad ties $15/post (25 available); wood fence/corner posts, $3/ ft (8-10' x 44 ct, some green-treated, some telephone); telephone poles, $3/ft (15-35 ft, 19 ct). 701-382-9505, Jessi Subart, Robinson.

POWER POLES, three 40' Class 1 Cedar Utility Power Poles. $30 for all. Will help load. 701317-8010, Larry Kalash, Grand Forks.

WANTED SIGNS, ADVERTISING, COLLECTIBLES. My son and I are looking for things to add to our collection. Old Signs, Farm Related, Gas & Oil, Advertising, Highway Signs, Railroad related items, License plates, oil cans, barber/salon items. Old items w/ small town advertisingmirrors, thermometers. Paying cash and will travel. Text/Call anytime. Would love to visit with you. Or stop and visit me along I-94. 701-9890495, Bryan Behm, Medina.

OLD STUFF, ND license plates, ND picked arrowheads, Advertising signs, advertising thermometers, gas pumps, oil cans, Road signs with Indian Head logo, ND HP metal door sign. I also buy old toys, marbles, crocks, metal trade tokens or anything else that's old and interesting. I can travel to your location. 701220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.

PRAIRIE DOG HUNTERS to hunt on my land.

Make reservations now. larryn@westriv.com.

701-548-8020, Larry Nagel, Shields.

Founding Farmers participates in Eat250 Last month, Founding Farmers participated in Eat250: America at the Table — a regional dining initiative celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary — from June 14–28 at its three Washington, D.C. locations. The initiative, led by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, was to tell a story about American food, culture and community, and how migration, tradition and cultural exchange continue to shape the American table. Founding Farmers participated with a dish that also connects directly to American family farms.

Their featured dish, Creole Blackened Chicken Thighs & Louismill Grits, told a familiar NDFU story.

Ingredients were sourced directly from family farmers and delivered to their restaurant kitchens on NDFU-owned and operated 18-wheelers. The grits came from Louismill, a stone-milling operation on a family farm in Louisville, Ky. The honey — used two ways in the dish — came from Beyla Honey in Grant County thirdgeneration bee farmers whose product has become a staple in Founding Farmers kitchens.

Founding Farmers participation in Eat250 was another opportunity to share the company mission to unbundle the industrial supply chain and help family farmers earn a larger share of the food dollar.

BATTER UP! FI EL D US TO TA RG ET TR AV EL W IT H HE AD ER FO R A DO UB LE

SCAN THE QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE TO UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS

August 15-16 Twins vs. Phillies

Saturday game starts at 6:10 p.m.

Sunday game starts at 1 p.m.

Sign up thru MyNDFU at ndfu.org NDFU.org • July 2026 • 31

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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