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G2. Local Greens

NeFU Provides Guidance to USDA on Investments and Opportunities For Meat and Poultry Processing Infrastructure

Nebraska Farmers Union - Tue, 08/31/2021 - 12:01

For Immediate Release August 31, 2021

Contact: John Hansen 402-476-8815 or john@nebraskafarmersunion.org

 

NeFU Provides Guidance to USDA on Investments and Opportunities

For Meat and Poultry Processing Infrastructure

Lincoln, NE. Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) provided written guidance to USDA relative to how to utilize the additional funding that is being made available by the Biden Administration to expand the capacity of small meat processing facilities.

In their comments, NeFU offered their strong support of the “overarching and comprehensive comments offered by National Farmers Union.”

NeFU said in their letter, “NeFU strongly supports President Biden’s Executive Order on competition, and the need to develop a more diverse and secure food supply chain and agricultural economy.”

In addition, NeFU also offered general support for the “letter offered by Michael J. Boehm, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Vice President, and IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor and their request for funding for workforce education and development as well as paperwork assistance for smaller meat packer compliance.”

NeFU ’s comments made it clear the additional funding should not go the large USDA inspected meat packers. NeFU supported proportioning financial funding to expand the capacity and diversity of our meat processing system to include the following kinds of meat processing:

  • Existing small USDA inspected meat processing plants that are already comfortable with the additional scheduling and paperwork required to operate a USDA inspected plant. Many of these plants need incentives to modernize and expand their current facilities.
  • Existing custom slaughter operations that want to modernize their operations and become USDA inspected facilities so they can sell directly to retail outlets including restaurants and grocery stores as well as sell across state lines.
  • Existing custom slaughter operations that want to modernize their operations but do not want to become USDA inspected facilities. Many of these facilities provide critical services to local communities but do not want to take on the additional scheduling, paperwork, reporting, and inspection requirements needed to become USDA inspected plants.
  • New federally inspected or USDA inspected custom slaughter plants with a preference for cooperatively or community owned facilities.
  • Mobile processing units that can help meet local needs for communities without local meat processing facilities. These kinds of facilities are particularly good at meeting free range poultry processing needs.

“NeFU State President John Hansen said, “The Biden Administration has provided us with an historic opportunity to expand both the capacity and diversity of our meat packing system. That is good for meat producers and meat consumers.  When small plants modernize, they become more efficient while expanding their capacity.”

Nebraska Farmers Union is a general farm organization with 3,841 farm and ranch family members dedicated to protecting and enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers, and their rural communities.  Since 1913, Nebraska Farmers Union has helped organize over 445 cooperatives.

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Categories: G2. Local Greens

Next Generation Fuels Act Introduced in the House of Representatives

Nebraska Farmers Union - Thu, 08/26/2021 - 14:07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2021

Contact: David Schuller
dschuller@nfudc.org

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos introduced the Next Generation Fuel Act, which increases gasoline octane to a minimum standard through low-carbon, renewable fuels. Farmers and consumers stand to gain from the economic and environmental benefits brought about by this legislation.

National Farmers Union has long supported higher level blends of ethanol and welcomed Representative Cheri Bustos’ re-introduction of the legislation. Given the environmental and economic advantages, NFU president Rob Larew echoes previous statements, saying:

“There are many benefits to adopting low-carbon, high octane ethanol blends. Higher ethanol levels increase engine and vehicle efficiency, providing greater GHG emission reductions, as well as reducing emissions of criteria pollutants and air toxics such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. Several studies show the many benefits of high octane, low carbon fuels, such as E30.

“National Farmers Union is thankful to Representative Bustos for reintroducing the Next Generation Fuels Act and urges Congress to act on this important legislation to facilitate more extensive use of mid- and high-level ethanol blends.”

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About NFU
National Farmers Union advocates on behalf of nearly 200,000 American farm families and their communities. We envision a world in which farm families and their communities are respected, valued, and enjoy economic prosperity and social justice.

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Look for us online at NFU.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

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