November 14, 2017

75 years in the making

Topic: Events

November 14, 2017: History does repeat itself. As we prepare to look back on 75 years of NDFB, we find that we are still fighting some of the same issues.

Download the 75 years in the making mp3.

Read the transcript:

The year date may have changed, but a lot of the issues have not. What I’m talking about is, some of the same issues that NDFB was tackling and taking on politically several decades ago, we are still fighting for today.

Just a couple of examples. Taxes. The estate tax. A big fight in the ‘70s. Property taxes. All sorts of taxes have been at a top priority for NDFB.

Other things? Such as whether we are raising food safely or not. That concern started slightly back in the ‘80s. And people kind of wrote it off as, “Well, it’s something to be concerned about, but maybe not.” But now we’re seeing today what feels like an ever-growing attack on agriculture, whether it’s animal agriculture, whether it’s the use of GMOs which have improved efficiencies, required way less water and inputs to produce way more food, it seems like people want to break us down.

Now it’s a very vocal few people. Let’s be honest about this. For the most part, Americans trust the American farmer and rancher. But those few, when you have the mission of NDFB to stand up for agriculture, stand up for what’s right, to promote freedom, opportunity and self-reliance, those challenges are very real. But they’re no more real today than they were 75 years ago, 50 years ago, 25 years ago. As we have matured as the most prominent and effective ag organization in the state of North Dakota.