March 14, 2018

What did NDFB say to Sec. Perdue?

Topic: Events

March 14, 2018: NDFB and NDSU Collegiate Farm Bureau had a unique opportunity to meet with Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue last week.

Download the Ag Secretary visits state mp3 

Read the transcript: 

On March 9, NDFB had a tremendous opportunity to sit down and share our concerns with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. The whole congressional delegation was in attendance. Senator John Hoeven requested that Secretary Perdue come to the state prior to the farm bill work to hear the concerns and hear what was needed on the farms and ranches in North Dakota when it comes to regulation and the farm bill.

So we took that opportunity to talk about Swampbuster reform, wetlands and mitigation and determinations of those wetlands. The common theme was to pay attention to what is needed out on the ground, on a farm and ranch, rather than what somebody in an office in D.C. thinks is best. Fortunately, Secretary Perdue is one of us. He's a farmer. He's a veterinarian. He's a well-educated man. He understands the trials and tribulations of production, and he's also been on the grain-handling side of it, and understands the importance of trade. That topic got brought up also that day.

So it was an opportunity that we don't see much in our state, and it is a great opportunity when that happens to take advantage and get some publicity in those important issues of being able to let farmers farm and ranchers ranch on their private property.

And to top it off, a bonus to NDFB, is he had lunch with our collegiate Farm Bureau members at NDSU. Because he knows the importance of the future, and luckily, he knows the importance of NDFB and the Farm Bureau network.

So a great day, March 9, for NDFB, not just our farmers and ranchers that are out there doing the work daily now, but our future, our collegiate members. Awesome opportunity and we were proud, at NDFB, to be a part of it.

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