Earlier this month, I went to Washington, DC with 11 other fellow Nebraskans, including 4 members of the Nebraska Farmers Union.  We went to our nation's capitol to ensure our members of Congress, the EPA and the Department of State clearly heard our concerns on TransCanada’s Keystone XL Pipeline Project.

One of the reasons I’m active with the Farmers Union is because we are empowered by our membership.  Members create and modify our policy in a grassroots fashion.  Last December, Nebraska Farmers Union members spoke loudly during the policy portion of our State Convention and added policy language that would protect the landowner’s rights, economic self-interests and the environment from issues that may arrive from existing and future pipelines.

For 97 years now, farmers and ranchers from across the state have gathered to craft policy at the Nebraska Farmers Union State Convention.  The purpose of this event is to give State Office representatives, such as myself, a set of guidelines to be carried out on behalf of family farmers and ranchers across Nebraska.  It also gives producers in their respective areas an opportunity to voice their opinions on issues that impact them.

Shortly after harvest time, counties from all across the state hold local meetings and send delegates on their county’s behalf.  They represent members’ beliefs on current policy or new issues that are not yet covered.  In addition, the Nebraska Farmers Union (NEFU) delegation crafts a series of ‘Special Orders of Business’ that deal with evolving current issues which require immediate action.

A few years back I was researching the latest numbers available regarding livestock concentration.  Problem was, the best report (done by the University of Missouri) to track the continued consolidation of the packer industry was nowhere to be found.  So naturally some calls of concern were made, and what I learned was quite alarming.  The livestock sector had become so concentrated that it was now impossible to collect accurate data showing how much consolidation was actually occurring!

As of the last University of Missouri report by Mary Hendrickson and Bill Heffernan, released in April 2007, four beef packers controlled 83.5% of the market.  They are Tyson, Cargill, Swift & Co. and National Beef Packing Co.  The pork industry tells a similar story with an estimated 66% concentration ratio split between Smithfield Foods, Tyson, Swift & Co. and Cargill.

Nebraskans have a long history with wind energy development.  As pioneers, many farmers and ranchers tapped into Nebraska’s high wind potential by capturing the wind with small chargers for energy purposes.  Other farmers, such as my own family, put up windmills to help pump water for livestock, drinking, and even laundry.