Union Farmer - September 2026

NDFU union farmer SEPTEMBER 2026 • ndfu.org

GROWING

LOCAL

Driven by love of community, Joanna Larson of Sheyenne turns old gas station into community grocery store

GET TO KNOW A FARMERS UNION INSURANCE AGENCY

Osterbauer Agency My name is Thomas Osterbauer and I was born and raised in Oakdale, Minn. After high school, I attended NDSU pursuing a bachelor’s degree in crop and weed science and a minor in Animal Science. I have been an agent with Farmers Union Insurance since September of 2022. My wife Tessa, and I moved to Flasher in 2019 and since then have added our two amazing kids to the family, Tate and Tegan.

Like many insurance agents, I never thought it was going to be the career path I would choose. Since making the decision to become an agent, I have felt very fortunate to be able to serve the community of Flasher and the surrounding area. I love being able to create relationships with people and help them find coverage to protect the things that mean the most to them. This career is definitely what I was meant to do, and I look forward to being able to do it for many years to come.

Outside of work, I have enjoyed serving as a board member for several community and county involved associations. I am currently the president of the Morton County Soil Conservation District, where I was once employed as their district tech “tree guy." I also serve on the park board in Flasher. Last year, I took up reffing youth football in the Flasher area. I enjoy spending my time with family, hunting, fishing, and of course golfing.

Thomas Osterbauer Agency 117 N Main St Flasher ND 58535 PH: 701-597-3535

UNION FARMER MAGAZINE Volume 73 • Number 9

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: 36,932 • USPS 016-211 2 • September 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.

MINNESOTA North Dakota Farmers Union

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Fun on the third annual

FARM

Nearly 60 kids and their parents attended the third annual Fun on the Farm Aug. 6 at Watne Farms north of Velva. Open to the public, families had 15 different stations to choose from before enjoying a meal from Backdraft BBQ, courtesy of North Dakota Farmers Union. The event was in partnership with McHenry County Farmers Union.

Emily Roen of Ward County Farmers Union teaches roping.

Kathryn Slavick of McHenry County Extension shows how ranchers care for their animals.

XXXXXX

XXXXXX

4 • August 2026 • Union Farmer

A grain buckets station was part of the experience, in which children were able to put their hands in a bucket and feel the difference between the seeds of nine different North Dakota crops.

On the table above are fun facts from the nine different commodities as well as grocery store products that are made from them.

McHenry County Farmers Union's new barrel train hauled kids through a path of tall corn.

Northern Pines Stables of Sawyer provided education and an interactive experience for kids.

One of the highlights of the day was the arrival of the Trinity Health First XXXXXX

Response helicopter. The day wouldn't have been possible without the dedication of the Watne Farms family. Many other vendors made the day possible including Farmers Union Insurance, the Velva Lions, Dakota Agronomy Partners, and Velva'sXXXXXX ambulance service, fire department and sheriff's department.

Viability of future farm bills at stake without coalition You can’t open a farm bill in the middle of a farm bill cycle. That long-held, albeit informal, rule has been viewed as important to preserving the farm bill coalition. In essence, the argument has been that amending just a portion of the bill risks inflaming one corner of the farm bill coalition. That, in turn, makes it more difficult to pass the next farm bill.

When the Senate failed to advance the farm bill out of committee last month, I reflected on that old rule. It’s a rule that we’ve broken more than once over the last several years. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that completing this farm bill feels like such a challenge.

In 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) through the reconciliation process. The bill passed along party lines.

Among the bill’s $891 billion in total spending were significant increases in funding for farm bill conservation programs. Three years later, Congress passed the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, again through the reconciliation process. In that bill, Congress increased investments in the farm safety net but reduced projected spending for nutrition programs.

We shouldn’t have been surprised when, in the first phase of this farm bill debate, a key sticking point became the IRA conservation funding. While Democrats and Republicans ultimately agreed to roll that money into the farm bill baseline, they never aligned on how to do that. The disagreement was a key driver of the farm bill stalemate in 2023 and 2024.

Two years later, the farm bill remains stalled, this time because of disagreements on OBBBA nutrition program changes. It’s a different chairperson. A different issue. A different economic environment. But once again, the problem is that changes made in a reconciliation package have thrown the farm bill coalition out of balance.

6 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

To be clear, my intent isn’t to cast blame on any political party. In fact, NDFU was among the many farm groups who supported the IRA conservation funding back in 2022. While we raised concerns with the nutrition changes in the OBBBA, increasing reference prices and bolstering crop insurance were two of Farmers Union’s top priorities in 2025. The takeaway here is that sometimes the politics that work in the short term come back to haunt us in the long run.

The real question is whether the farm bill, as we know it, is dead. In an era of partisan reconciliation packages, frequent ad hoc programs and growing political divisiveness, do traditional farm bills matter anymore? I, for one, believe they do. I also recognize that restoring that balance will take hard work and discipline.

It requires us to tackle short-term crises with a view of the long-term consequences.

The Senate farm bill takes important steps toward addressing some of the serious challenges we face today. It includes yearround E15, mandatory country-of-origin labeling and meaningful efforts to address consolidation in input markets. It’s as good a reason as any to start the hard work of repairing the farm bill coalition. If we search hard enough, we can find that common ground again. The stakes are too high to dondfubenefitsplus.enjoymydeals.com otherwise.

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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.

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PREVENT DUST EXPLOSIONS

• Implement a housekeeping program to reduce dust accumulations • Minimize ignition sources through controlling hot work • Perform regular inspections of mechanical and safety control equipment, including heat-producing equipment (motors, bearings, etc.)

Find more ag safety info at ndsc.org NDFU.org • September 2026 • 7

Steve Gilje of Rolette with his son Jimmy, grandson Einar and wife Jolene. The Gilje family participated in the Alliance to Advance ClimateSmart Agriculture, which paid them $100 an acre to adopt conservation practices over the past two years.

NDFU served as North Dakota's state implementer for the program.

8 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture

CONSERVATION

IN ACTION

Steve Gilje family of Rolette sees benefits from participation in USDA's Alliance conservation program

BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU

In looking to take the next step with conservation on his family farm a few years ago, Steve Gilje of Rolette signed up to participate in the Alliance to Advance ClimateSmart Agriculture.

The program, led by Virginia Tech with an $80 million grant from USDA, paid producers $100 an acre to adopt conservation practices on their farms. North Dakota was one of four states picked for the pilot program, and North Dakota Farmers Union was chosen as the state implementer, starting in 2024. North Dakota was the first state among the four chosen to complete all producer-incentive payments, with

100% of committed funding distributed in 2026.

As the program ends, the impact is already being felt. Over two years, it paid out $13 million to more than 550 farmers and ranchers across eight counties in North Dakota, touching nearly 124,000 acres and animal units.

For Gilje, that funding helped him secure some equipment that will contribute to making his practices more permanent.

“We bought a nice disc no-till drill, and we had been using a really old shank no-till drill up till then,” he said. “That little incentive payment helped us a lot.”

CONTINUED TO NEXT PAGE

NDFU District 3 Director Tyler Stafslien was on the producer panel at the Alliance Summit, Aug. 12, in Fargo.

NDFU.org • September 2026 • 9

NDFU Farm Management Specialist Amanda McClean, middle, spoke about implementation of the program on a panel that featured the project leads from each of the four states, the others being Arkansas, Minnesota and Virginia.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Gilje put in 160 acres of no-till barley and soybeans the first year, before taking on a four-season rotation of warm and cool season grasses in the second year. Gilje, who farms with his son Jimmy, said the program really hit its stride this past year thanks to local support.

“Our district employees at our soil conservation district stepped up and really helped us along,” Gilje said.

NDFU Farm Management Specialist Amanda McClean ran the program and was on a panel discussing implementation during the Alliance Summit in Fargo on Aug. 11. She also gave credit to soil conservation districts.

“I think local delivery really matters with this,” she said. “The soil conservation districts were really the boots on the ground with our producers.”

Attendees came from North Dakota, Virginia, Minnesota and Arkansas and even traveled the state during the week to take a closer look.

Gilje’s farm was on the list.

“I was pleased they made the effort to come out and see what real producers are doing,” Gilje said. “They’re people who want to help us succeed.”

During her panel, McClean said the Alliance succeeded in North Dakota because of three main points, and that future programs need to 10 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

NDFU President Matt Perdue gave the welcome speech to attendees.

take that into account.

“One, it has to be voluntary — you can’t force a producer to do something,” she said. “Two, you have to include the early-adopters. These are the people who are the most open-minded about these practices and they’re interested in expanding them. And three, you have to compensate them. This paid them $100 per acre, and that really helped offset some of those extra costs.”

As the program comes to an end, Gilje said it was worth the extra work it required and that producers should take advantage of these opportunities.

“It’s a pretty low-risk option to try these things,” he said. “A hundred bucks an acre is worth your time to try something new.”

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT 2026

NORTH DAKOTA ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT 2026

NORTH DAKOTA KEY METRICS 123,628

582

PRODUCERS ENROLLED

ENROLLED ACRES/AU

PRODUCER PAYMENTS

8

PARTICIPATING COUNTIES

2

ENROLLMENT ROUNDS

2026 HIGHLIGHTS

$13.2 PAID TO

North Dakota became the first Alliance state to complete all producer incentive payments, with 100% of committed funding distributed in 2026.

$15,556

No Till, Reduced Till, and Grazing Management accounted for the majority of enrolled conservation acres, reflecting strong adoption of practices that improve soil health, reduce erosion, and enhance grazing management.

MILLION PRODUCERS MEDIAN CONTRACT VALUE

100%

ALLOCATED PAYMENTS DISTRIBUTED

PARTICIPATING COUNTIES

PROGRAM EVALUATION

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) launched producer and stakeholder surveys and feedback sessions in North Dakota to evaluate the Alliance program and gather participant perspectives.

TOP CONSERVATION PRACTICES

Survey responses and producer feedback highlighted strong engagement and identified opportunities to simplify the application process and strengthen program communications.

No Till Reduced Till Grazing Management Conservation Crop Rotation Cover Crop 0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

Acres

Data shown reflect total project numbers from 2024–2026

7

NDFU.org • September 2026 • 11

'HOLY GRAIL' NDSU gets $3M boost from Offerdahls in quest to bring nitrogen fixation to cereal grains Story and photos by Chris Aarhus, NDFU 12 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

Richard and Linda Offerdahl of Fargo gave $3 million toward continued research on nitrogen fixation in cereal grains.

“We’re focused right now on barley because that’s a great model system for the lab. But if we crack that in barley, the hope is that it will be translatable relatively quickly to corn or to wheat or to rice.”

Dr. Barney Geddes NDSU researcher

Dr. Barney Geddes of NDSU has long been interested in atmospheric nitrogen fixation in cereal grains. A breakthrough would save farmers on fertilizer, which can be as high as 40% of their costs.

Planting legumes like soybeans saves farmers money by reducing the amount of fertilizer they need to buy.

Now imagine if farmers could see those savings across all their crops. If NDSU scientist Barney Geddes and his team get their way, it could become a reality.

NDSU’s research on biological nitrogen fixation in cereal crops received a significant boost when Richard and Linda Offerdahl of Fargo committed $3 million to continue efforts toward a breakthrough that would change agriculture.

“Atmospheric nitrogen fixation has been described as the holy grail,” said Richard Offerdahl. “We were offered a partnership in

making this happen. Let’s do it!”

Geddes has been interested in this area of research since his days at the University of Manitoba and during his postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford. He said the Offerdahls have been very supportive of the project, having already made a substantial gift CONTINUED TO NEXT PAGE NDFU.org • September 2026 • 13

Dr. Barney Geddes believes changing the genetic code of bacteria that's evolved with wheat could lead to its ability to use nitrogen from the atmosphere.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE to get the research moving four years ago.

“We talked to them about the progress we’ve been making and what the next stages would be in going for this lofty goal, and they got excited and wanted to up their commitment,” Geddes said. “I’m so thankful that Richard and Linda identified this as an area to get excited about together. It’s been amazing working with them.”

Scientists have been working on this breakthrough since discovering it was possible in the mid-1970s, Geddes said. Soybeans benefit from atmospheric nitrogen naturally thanks to a partnership they form with Bradyrhizobia, bacteria that live in nodules on the plant’s root and is responsible for drawing the nitrogen out of the air. The soybean provides the bacteria with energy, while the bacteria give the plant useable nitrogen.

“It’s a coordinated invasion that the plant allows to happen through a very intricate signaling exchange between the microbe and host,” Geddes said, “to make sure that they are the right microbe to associate with it, because plants are also on guard against pathogens.”

Essentially, legumes have a built-in security force, and rhizobia have the secret code to fix nitrogen for the plant. However, cereal grains don’t form root nodules with rhizobia.

“The rhizobia (bacteria) that colonize legumes have co-adapted with those legumes over time, so we’re kind of trying to recapitulate 60 million years of evolution,” he said. “Fortunately, it was realized within the last decade that cereals do possess a lot of tools 14 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

needed to communicate, and they use those same pathways.”

Geddes and his team must solve the problem of “connecting the right inputs and outputs,” and they’re using barley as the test case for their research.

“We’re focused right now on barley because that’s a great model system for the lab,” he said. “But if we crack that in barley, the hope is that it will be translatable relatively quickly to corn or to wheat or to rice.”

In the past, researchers have focused on breeding rhizobia bacteria into the seed of cereal grains. However, Geddes and his team are using a different approach — changing the genetic code of the bacteria already within the grains.

“A more straightforward way is to take the bacteria they’ve co-evolved with and that they’re quite happy to associate with, and transform it into rhizobia,” he said. “We now completely understand the genetic code needed to take almost any bacteria and change it to rhizobia, so the partnership is pre-existing.

That’s been one of the major focuses of my lab over the last four years.”

The next step is establishing that chemical conversation between the bacteria and the cereal grain.

“What we’re seeing now is just a whiff of that process,” he said. “If we can (improve that) and get a hint of nitrogen fixation, it would be a massive win for us and scientists globally.”

And for farmers?

“It would potentially be a huge cut on their bottom lines,” he said. “If you can eliminate that fertilizer input — or even just reduce it — it would make a big difference on a cost that can be unreliable.”

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Joanna Larson of Sheyenne stands in her store, Farmers Grocery, along Highway 281. The opening of the store this summer represents a significant milestone she set to bring local food to her community.

Cabinets and shelves were repurposed from the Bisbee drug store.

16 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

Small store, big impact With the opening of Farmers Grocery along Highway 281, Larson gives Sheyenne first store in 20 years

N

Story and photos by Chris Aarhus, NDFU

estled in the small town of Sheyenne is what appears to be an old Sinclair gas station — its exterior fully remodeled with Sinclair’s classic green and white. It even has the gas pumps to match, creating an image from Highway 281 that’s of a time gone by.

Inside the station, local farmer and rancher Joanna Larson bustles about in her vintage Farmers Union t-shirt, as she works to keep her new grocery store stocked. Her partner Ian Gilley — equally busy — is in and out with tasks.

Visitors stop in from other towns. Locals come and go. Travelers park and take pictures of the station and its classic restoration, done by Devils Lake artist Gavin Brown.

“Locals love to bring their families in,” Joanna said. “We have a lot of motorcycles and classic cars that stop for photos.”

The real prize is inside. Welcome to Farmers Grocery.

CONTINUED TO NEXT PAGE NDFU.org • September 2026 • 17

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

‘GOOD HELP’

A community that has been without a grocery store for more than 20 years suddenly has access to milk, bread, eggs and fresh produce in a convenient location.

“We’re two and a half months in, and I’m cautiously optimistic,” Joanna said. “It’s going well for us so far, but it’s a ton of work. That’s been a huge learning curve.”

Growing up in the community, Larson knew there was a need for access to grocery items.

18 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

She even tried to fill that need with a small self-serve farm stand on Main Street that was completely on the honor system. The desire to solve that problem drove her to the decision that something more was needed. And with her and partner Ian Gilley both being engineers, solving problems comes naturally.

“When we lost our grocery store, there was a big hole for fresh fruit, vegetables, meat…”

Joanna said. “Our community had tried to answer some of that with a farmers’ market and a community garden. … But it’s not just about fresh produce. It’s basic grocery items.

You think about the livability of your community

ABOVE: A 2022 Google Maps picture of the station.

AT LEFT: Joanna Larson stands in front of her store. Larson operated a self-serve stand on Main Street, but realized the community needed more than just produce.

BELOW: A 2026 Google Maps picture of the station after Devils Lake artist Gavin Brown purchased the property and restored the exterior. That included new concrete, pumps and planting trees.

and what it means to be out of milk and have to get in your car and drive 10 miles. It’s about convenience, but also quality of life.”

She certainly wasn’t looking for more to put on her plate. The daughter of an agronomist (Peter) and Eddy County Extension agent and master gardener (Patti), Joanna grows certified organic vegetables on their family farm. Joanna and Ian also play a major role with her parents’ family farm that includes growing small grains and a livestock operation.

“There’s no way I could staff the store and (do all of that) without good help,” said Joanna.

“I don’t do this by myself. The effort to make

this store happen was dozens of people.”

The vegetables in the store are local, coming from Larson and other producers in the area.

“I have over two dozen local growers that have or will have something in the store,” she said.

Meat from nearby ranchers is processed at the co-op Bowdon Meat Processors, filling the store’s coolers. However, it takes help from Munich Grocery to fill the need of more basic items.

“We’re really fortunate to be working CONTINUED TO NEXT PAGE NDFU.org • September 2026 • 19

Joanna Larson and her partner Ian Gilley grow certified organic vegetables and play a significant role with her parents' conventional operation, in addition to taking care of the store.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE with them,” she said. “It’s how we’re able to have fresh fruit and conventional items on the shelves. If it wasn’t for them and their community-mindedness with how they operate that store, we wouldn’t be able to have this.”

In addition to Brown’s restoration of the building and local producers, Larson also needed help with some of the dollars involved.

She partnered with the City of Sheyenne to apply for the Department of Commerce’s Rural Grocery Store Sustainability Grant, which awards up to $150,000 per applicant “to support the sustainability of rural grocery service, access to food, and/or development and expansion of food co-ops in rural areas.”

Prairie Gates was one of 11 awardees out of 47 applications.

“It’s a very competitive grant and many communities across the state applied,” she said. “We were super fortunate that we got some of that money, so then we could really finish the store. I don’t know that we would be where we are without it.”

They’re working through supply chain issues, dealing with problems as they come up. For instance, it’s been a relatively dry year in North 20 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

"We were careful about setting our expectations and looking at what would be feasible. So far, the community has exceeded those expectations.

They’re really pushing our sales, and I’m really happy to see that.”

Joanna Larson Farmers Grocery co-owner

Dakota.

“We’ve had a hard time aggregating (vegetables) this year,” Ian said. “Last year, people's gardens were more successful because the growing conditions for vegetables were a lot easier.”

A LOOK INSIDE

Stepping into the store is like getting out of a time machine. The checkered vinyl flooring, the pressed-metal tile ceiling, the vintage Coca-Cola bottle machine — it’s an intentional reminder of a time when rural grocery stores were in their heyday. Shelving and cases were repurposed from the Bisbee drug store. The retro Pennzoil and Sinclair signs pay homage to its history as a filling station. Even the bathroom

TOP: The theme is throughout, as even the bathroom has Sinclair green.

AT LEFT: The building might give vintage vibes, and that's intentional. However, it also features new coolers for its produce and other modern conveniences, like a membership program and 24/7 access.

BOTTOM: Larson commits to being there at least two hours a day, six days a week.

has a new paint job, covered in Sinclair green.

“I love being in the space,” Joanna said.

“You're in the work of doing it and figuring stuff out behind the scenes. Then to have it all come together, I just kind of sat here and took it all in.”

The aesthetics might be a flashback but make no mistake about the store’s capabilities — it’s a modern grocery store with new coolers, a membership system with a mobile app and 24-hour access, and a point-of-sale system that takes credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. The membership system provides easy access. Customers can pay $60 annually for 24-hour access seven days a week in which an app lets them through the back door and they check themselves out.

“One thing that took us by surprise is the amount of membership we have from neighboring communities,” she said. “Many of them come in here and wonder if they could make something work in their communities.”

In true small-town fashion, a clipboard sits on the checkout counter, where customers can write down product requests for the store. The latest version of the clipboard had eight to 10

items on it.

“The suggestion sheet speaks for itself,” she says with a laugh. “They want to do business here.”

The store is staffed for two-to-three hour increments six days a week, when anyone can shop and pay by cash, check or credit card.

Otherwise, its members have full-time access, which is card-only in off hours.

"More and more people are utilizing the self-serve part of it,” she said. “We’ve seen an uptick in transitions when we’re not here. I’ve had a lot of people ask if we’re closing during the winter, and I say, “we’ll be here!”

It’s a project that was an immense undertaking, with passionate communityminded producers leading it.

“Ian and I took fairly big risks in doing this, especially in a small community where you want something to succeed so badly,” Joanna said. “We were careful about setting our expectations and looking at what would be feasible. So far, the community has exceeded those expectations. They’re really pushing our sales, and I’m really happy to see that.”

NDFU.org • September 2026 • 21

Where Prevented Planting Buy-Up Coverage Has Mattered Most Figure 1. Top Five Crops and States by Prevented Planting (PP) Indemnities with Buy-Up Coverage

Note: Values represent total indemnities paid on prevented planting records with the buy-up option attached from 2010 through 2024.

Totals are not acreage-adjusted and therefore reflect differences in insured acreage across crops and states.

Source: NDSU Agricultural Risk Policy Center using data from USDA Risk Management Agency Cause of Loss data.

Buy-up to return?

USDA supports return of 5% buy-up option on prevented plant acres that would positively affect North Dakota farmers Five percentage points may sound small, yet for a North Dakota corn farmer with a $700 per acre guarantee, the prevented planting buy-up can raise an eligible payment from $385 to $420 per acre. That $35 difference explains why USDA's July announcement matters in a state where a wet spring can close the planting window. During questioning from Sen. John Hoeven, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said USDA was “100 percent supportive” of restoring the option and was moving forward, with 2027 identified as the intended crop year and final details still pending from the Risk Management Agency.

The buy-up adds five percentage points to the standard prevented planting factor for eligible policies, and farmers choose it before the season so the coverage can be built into operating plans, financing, and risk management as pre-planting costs are committed.

USDA eliminated the option in November 2025 through the Expanding Access to Risk 22 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

Dr. Sandro Steinbach Farmers Union Endowed Professor, North Dakota State University

Protection rule, which began affecting some crops in 2026 and was scheduled to reach the rest in 2027. Farm groups, lenders, crop insurance agents, and lawmakers objected because crop insurance is purchased in advance, while ad hoc disaster aid is uncertain and often arrives well after a loss. USDA later received about 350 comments, which Under Secretary Richard Fordyce described as overwhelmingly supportive of restoration.

Farmers elected the buy-up on more than 67 million acres nationwide in 2025, including about 10 million acres in North

North Dakota at the Center of Prevented Planting Buy-Up Coverage North Dakota at the Center of Prevented Planting Buy-Up Coverage County-Level Prevented Planting Buy-Up Indemnities for All Crops, 2018–2024 County-Level Prevented Planting Buy-Up Indemnities for All Crops, 2018–2024

Buyup Indemnity ($M)

Note: The map reports county-level prevented planting indemnities attributable to buy-up coverage for all crops combined. The bar reports county-level prevented planting indemnities to buy-up chart Note: reportsThe the map ten counties with the largest cumulative indemnities fromattributable 2018 through 2024. coverage for all crops combined. The ba chart reports the ten counties with the largest cumulative indemnities from 2018 through 2024.

Source: NDSU Agricultural Risk Policy Center using data from USDA Risk Management Agency Cause of Loss data.

Source: NDSU Agricultural Risk Policy Center using data from USDA Risk Management Agency Cause of Loss data.

Dakota. Historical results also provide little evidence of excessive underwriting losses, with policies carrying buy-up coverage recording a cumulative loss ratio of 0.818 from 2011 through 2024, compared with 0.866 for policies carrying only the standard factor.

Those aggregate figures do not isolate the incremental buy-up layer, since crop mix, geography, and producer characteristics differ, although the broader record does not show unusually high losses among policies that elected the option.

The geography makes the issue especially important here, since corn accounted for the largest share of prevented planting indemnities on buy-up policies from 2010 through 2024, while North Dakota and South Dakota recorded the largest cumulative state totals. County

level payments from 2018 through 2024 were concentrated in eastern North Dakota and northeastern South Dakota, where saturated soils, excess spring moisture, and narrow planting windows can make prevented planting a recurring part of farm risk.

USDA's announcement does not change policies already in place for 2026, and RMA still must determine which crops, policies, coverage levels, and election procedures will apply, along with any transitional treatment. The work now shifts to USDA and RMA, which must issue clear guidance soon for North Dakota farmers to know whether the buy-up will be available before they make their 2027 crop insurance decisions.

Dr. Steinbach is the Farmers Union Endowed Professor at North Dakota State University.

PREVENT DUST EXPLOSIONS

• Implement a housekeeping program to reduce dust accumulations • Minimize ignition sources through controlling hot work • Perform regular inspections of mechanical and safety control equipment, including heat-producing equipment (motors, bearings, etc.)

Find more ag safety info at ndsc.org NDFU.org • September 2026 • 23

Our Family the fifth children’s book from North Dakota Farmers Union

$16.95 plus tax

Dusty's class joins in on the fun, as they take a field trip to the farm to dispel common farming myths and learn where food comes from!

y Farm

Book Series Sullivan Our Family Farm • Cows on the Mooove!

$16.95 ISBN 978-0-578-91271-4

51695>

NDFU

9 780578 912714

© North Dakota Farmers Union Foundation

GET ALL 5 BOOKS FOR $60 + tax Visit ndfu.org to purchase your books online or call the state office at 1-800-366-6338

What's happening

A couple of children enjoy their ice cream from NDFU District 7 Director Ben Vig, left, and District 2 Director Bob Finken during Co-op Day at the North Dakota State Fair in late July.

NDFU held an educational booth at the first-ever North Dakota Agriculture Acre at the North Dakota State Fair.

NDFU focused on both the important role of cooperatives and where our food comes from. Pictured here, NDFU Member Relations Specialist Sabrina Hornung helps a child.

26 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

around the state?

Sheridan County held their annual farm safety day on July 31 with 32 kids in attendance. Among the activities they enjoyed was learning about electricity safety with Verendrye Electric Cooperative.

McIntosh County Farmers Union toured Danzig Honey in Wishek as part of an EPIC Event. The kids learned about the importance of pollinators and challenges within the honey industry.

SCAN THE QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE TO UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS NDFU.org • September 2026 • 27

Founding Farmers stays busy with catering events Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events had a busy start to summer in the nation's capital. In June, they served 680 guests at the 44th Annual RAMMYS pre-awards reception at Arena Stage — Washington's most prestigious night in restaurant awards — with tray-passed hors d'oeuvres, abundant scratch-made displays, and full bar service for a room full of chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality professionals. A few weeks later, the team catered a wedding at Rocklands Farm Winery, a working farm in Maryland's Agricultural Reserve ­— a fitting setting for a farmer-owned caterer, right down to the North Dakota whipped honey butter on every table.

Do you know a member who does something interesting or unique?

Let us know! We may feature them in the Union Farmer! Contact Editor Chris Aarhus at caarhus@ndfu.org.

28 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

But these events are about more than good food served well. Every plate is part of a bigger mission. As a company majority owned by American family farmers, Founding Farmers is working to unbundle the industrial food supply chain and earn family farmers a larger share of the food dollar. When a D.C. event planner books their catering team, when a couple chooses them for their wedding, when the D.C. restaurant industry itself asks them to set the table for its biggest night — farmers directly benefit. It means every celebration they cater strengthens the livelihoods of the family farmers at the root of everything they do.

reach a bigger audience Advertise your business in the pages of the Union Farmer with its circulation of 35,000+ North Dakota families

Contact Editor Chris Aarhus at caarhus@ndfu.org for rates and details NDFU.org • July 2026 • 29

CLASSIFIEDS

3 EATON GRAIN BINS. 1500 Bushels each. Call late evening or leave a message. 701-4827749, Robert Huff, Donnybrook.

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!

TIRE, 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. larryn@westriv.com. 701-5488020, Larry Nagel, Shields.

FARM FOR SALE POSTHOLE AUGER, 3 pt posthole auger $3,000, skid steer post pounder (new, 3 different sizes available), Salford 5 ton fertilizer spreader $22,500, Rowse double mower. 701-516-2920, Aaron Subart, Robinson.

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

1955 1.5 TON CHEVY TRUCK. 283 V8 motor, steel box and hoist. Tires nearly new, 43,600 miles. 3 New Holland 7 foot mower sickles, new inserts, one with newer sickle sections - $50.

5 John Deere 7 foot mower sickles, one with new sickle sections - $50. 406-989-0019, Mike Carlson, Douglas.

21’ JD SWATHER. JD grain moisture tester. 3 new garage doors 8’x10’ steel. White 5 sections 5 panels with windows. All complete. JD 9600 edible bean. Screens and slow down pulley.

Antique horse drawn dirt scoop. In very good condition. JD 1610 chisel plow shank and mounting bracket. 701-430-3348, Jack Vadnie, Clifford.

DRILL FILL, 15'x6 in. hydraulic grain drill fill, complete with spout. $350; Ritchie commander waterer, has no rust. $125. 701-525-6343, Ron Keller, Minot.

SICKLE MOWER, 7’ sickle mower drawbar mount or 3 point. Excellent condition. 701-334-9999, Craig Neys, Jamestown.

PICKUP HEAD for windrowed forage crops and one 2 row wide corn head. Both to fit a John Deere model 38 forage harvester. Both are in excellent condition and have been shedded through the years. Text or leave a message. 701833-2220, Jerome Behm, Burlington.

RAKE, 12 Wheel V rake reconditioned, all new rake wheels, $3200. 6 wheel Gehle rake, all new rake wheels $2200. Double Rouse 9 ft. mower field ready, hydraulic driven $7800. Reel type rock picker good shape $1400. Can deliver any of these items. 701-400-5742, Gerald Miller, Mandan.

HEAD LIGHTS, Allis-Chalmers complete Head lights, and box full of parts for WD tractor, Brake lining rings Valves, seals and ETC. Box of parts mostly new. Call or text me for pictures, $100.

701-381-8334, Harris Saele, Devils Lake.

30 • September 2026 • Union Farmer

CHISEL PLOWS, 21 ft. International chisel plow with drags -$1000. 14 ft. John Deere chisel plow -$500. 701-320-5104, Edwin Haisley, LaMoure.

WANTED TRACTOR TIRE, used 16.9-34 Bias Tractor Tire.

701-320-0798, Steven Hochhalter, Woodworth.

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.

WOBBLE BOX for IH sickle mower or complete mower any condition. 701-400-5742, Gerald Miller, Mandan.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE WAGON STEPS, 2 metal wagon steps, $50; 1 inch by 50 feet oil field sucker rod 50 @ $20 each; 2 metal cattle feeders $100 each; White brand treadle sewing machine $500; Screen scrapbook pamphlet showing Peter Pan at Maddock Opera House Jun 1925 $100; old church windows 4 pane $10 each and 1 arched for $20; 2 cast iron cookstoves and 1 round parlor stove best offer; 354 Perkins engine 6 cylinder with a video showing the engine running. Pictures all items. 701-438-2461, James Hvinden, Maddock.

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. WWIl North Dakota 164th Infantry Regiment Items. Email jgrindahl@gmail.com or call/text. 701-200-7125, John Grindahl, Fargo.

1984 TERRY 20’ CAMPER. In very good condition, always shedded. 701-430-3348, Jack Vadnie, Clifford.

ALL SEASON TIRES, five brand new Nexen Roadian HTX2 245/75R17 All Season Tires Mounted and Balanced on NEW 17x7.5 inch Factory Willys Jeep Wheels, with TPMS Valve Stems. $2,100. 701-659-1374, Connie Benke, Jamestown.

CEMETERY PLOTS, Sunset Memorial Gardens cemetery plots located just off University Drive and 52 Avenue South Fargo ND 2 plots in Garden of Everlasting Life. Value $1600, selling for $1300. Seller will pay transfer fee. 701-3711520, Gale Schober, West Fargo.

ANVILS, weighing from 100 pounds up to 175 pounds, 4 anvils to choose from all in very good condition. Also a few old cast iron cistern pumps, a few cast iron tractor seats, Standard Oil Products porcelain 10' sign, coke signs, Bucyrus Erie sign and a few others. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.

1960 WILLYS WAGON 4X4, 3 speed with overdrive, 226ci 6-cylinder flat head, not running, has some rust, been gathering repair panels and other new parts, delivery up for discussion. 707-425-7315, Vernon Buchmann, Fairfield, Calif.

FLOATING DOCKS, three EZ Dock Floating Docks, 10' by 58" lengths and 1 - 10' by 48" length plus all other parts needed, text or call for pictures and info; 3-point Farm King 7' blade, like new, $250, text or call for pictures and info. 701-381-8334, Harris Saele, Devils Lake.

BEAR CAT GRINDER MIXER PARTS. 2 gear cases, new gear case gears, shafts, hammers, bearings, and several other misc. parts. Four aluminum 15 inch wheels from a Chevy S-10 pickup. All straight and true. Perfect and no damage; Wood Vice, Tool Shop brand, $15. Kohler Light Plant, Runs and Generator$150. 6 " Sears 6" planer, Jointer with stand, - $150. 20 gal. parts washer - $70. Text or call. 701-833-2220, Jerome Behm, Burlington.

RUBBER TOTES, several 32 gallon sturdy, round, rubber totes with lids used for excess grain storage & seed. They have never been used for garbage. 701-629-9003, Doug Halden, Stanley.

HONDA 4-wheeler; Accordion. 701-270-0184, Harold Severson, Lakota.

2015 Honda FOR 4-Wheeler, Ribcon 4 X 4, 1,700 Hours, 6,500 Miles, New Battery, New Tires on Front, Doesn’t use oil, No transmission problems what-so-ever. larryn@westriv.com.

701-548-8020, Larry Nagel, Shields.

CANVAS, 42"x 237" canvas, brand new, $125.

16.1x16, 8-bolt rims, pair $300. 701-228-8376, Les Patterson, Souris.

WANTED OLD STUFF, ND license plates, ND picked arrowheads, advertising signs, advertising thermometers, old gas pumps, oil cans. Old road signs with the Indian Head logo or ND HP metal door signs. I also buy old toys, marbles, crocks, metal trade tokens or most anything that's old and interesting. I will travel to your location. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.

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.

PRAIRIE DOG HUNTERS to hunt on my land.

Make reservations now. larryn@westriv.com.

701-548-8020, Larry Nagel, Shields.

ALL CLASSIFIEDS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE AT NDFU.ORG/CLASSIFIEDS WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH

THE TOUGH DEPEND on ARTEX

FUILLC.COM

Go to NDFU.org to register!

NDFU.org • September 2026 • 31

Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America, ND Division

PERIODICALS – POSTAGE PAID

1415 12th Ave SE PO Box 2136 Jamestown, ND 58402