{"id":214792,"date":"2020-12-14T09:55:01","date_gmt":"2020-12-14T15:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/?p=214792"},"modified":"2020-12-14T09:56:08","modified_gmt":"2020-12-14T15:56:08","slug":"watne-re-elected-nd-farmers-union-president-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/?p=214792","title":{"rendered":"Watne re-elected ND Farmers Union, President"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-33006\" src=\"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Farmers-Union1-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Farmers-Union1-300x202.jpg 300w, http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Farmers-Union1-259x175.jpg 259w, http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Farmers-Union1.jpg 445w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Jamestown\u00a0 (NDFU)\u00a0 \u2013 Mark Watne of Velva was reelected to an eighth year as North Dakota Farmers Union president at the organization\u2019s 94<sup>th<\/sup> annual state convention, broadcast virtually from Jamestown on Friday, Dec. 11, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>In his message to delegates, Watne touched upon the resiliency of farmers and what they have learned from past experiences, farm bills and ag policies. He says, \u201cRemember when trade was the answer? But to get that trade, we\u2019re going to price [commodities] low,\u201d he recalled farmers were told and shared statistics that show the U.S. world market share of corn, soybeans and wheat is lower today than 20 years ago.\u00a0 We\u2019re not really winning the trade war\u2026 and the lower prices are causing farmers worldwide to suffer.<\/p>\n<p>Many ag economists and politicians continue to repeat the mythical idea that lower crop prices will increase trade. We have to rethink this process. Knowing what we know today should open the door to an agriculture future that is focused on diverse family farms and ranch operations with a fair and free market.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To achieve fairer markets and improve farm income, Farmers Union delegates adopted six policy resolutions and initiatives focused on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Strengthening biofuel markets;<\/li>\n<li>Implementing a farmer-focused approach to climate change;<\/li>\n<li>Improving the farm bill safety net;<\/li>\n<li>Improving food security and deconsolidating America\u2019s food supply chain;<\/li>\n<li>Restoring competition to the livestock industry; and<\/li>\n<li>Supporting state legislation that directs Legacy Fund earnings toward infrastructure expansion, such as competitively-priced, high-speed broadband in rural areas; and expanded livestock processing in the state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sen. John Hoeven and former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp also addressed delegates virtually during the convention, sharing ideas and initiatives they are working on to further family farm and ranch agriculture.<\/p>\n<p>In other elections,<strong> Bob Kuylen of South Heart<\/strong> was reelected vice president. <strong>Bob Finken of Douglas<\/strong> was newly elected to the organization\u2019s board of directors, replacing Ryan Taylor of Towner, who did not seek reelection. Finken will represent members from District 2, encompassing the counties of Bottineau, McHenry, Pierce, Rolette and Ward. <strong>Shane Sickler of Gladstone <\/strong>was reelected to the District 4 seat. That district encompasses the counties of Adams, Billings, Bowman, Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger, McKenzie, Slope and Stark. <strong>Shelly Ziesch of Pettibone<\/strong> was reelected to the District 6 seat. District 6 comprises a nine-county area: Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Stutsman and Wells.<\/p>\n<p>Members also elected delegates to represent North Dakota at the National Farmers Union (NFU) Convention, slated in March 2021. They are:<\/p>\n<p><strong>ALAMO <\/strong>\u2013 Devin Jacobson. <strong>BALDWIN <\/strong>\u2013 Denise Brown. <strong>BARTON <\/strong>\u2013 Josh Stutrud. <strong>BEULAH <\/strong>\u2013 Dawn Martin. <strong>BOTTINEAU <\/strong>\u2013 Philip Neubauer. <strong>CENTER <\/strong>\u2013 David Berger. <strong>COGSWELL <\/strong>\u2013 Bernie Planteen. <strong>CRARY <\/strong>\u2013 Adam Leiphon. <strong>DAZEY <\/strong>\u2013 Justin Sherlock. <strong>DOUGLAS <\/strong>\u2013 Holly Sobieck. <strong>DRAKE <\/strong>\u2013 Ashley Bruner. <strong>FORBES <\/strong>\u2013 Ryan Brokaw. <strong>FORMAN <\/strong>\u2013 Wyatt Sundquist. <strong>FORT RICE <\/strong>\u2013 Matt Rebenitsch. <strong>GLADSTONE <\/strong>\u2013 Dean Baar, Paulette Baar, Jon Pierce, Jamie Sickler, Lenci Sickler. <strong>GRAND FORKS <\/strong>\u2013 David Gorder. <strong>HUFF <\/strong>\u2013 Bailie Graner. <strong>JAMESTOWN <\/strong>\u2013 Lori Carlson. <strong>KENMARE <\/strong>\u2013 Troy Hedberg. <strong>LANKIN <\/strong>\u2013 Scott Udby. <strong>LITCHVILLE <\/strong>\u2013 Ron Van Bruggen. <strong>MCGREGOR <\/strong>\u2013 Steve Overlee. <strong>MOHALL <\/strong>\u2013 Stacey Johnson. <strong>NAPOLEON <\/strong>\u2013 Carmen Rath-Wald. <strong>OSNABROCK <\/strong>\u2013 David Lundeby. <strong>PAGE <\/strong>\u2013 Brad McKay. <strong>PETTIBONE <\/strong>\u2013 Shelly Ziesch, Robin Ziesch. <strong>ROLETTE <\/strong>\u2013 Mark Heinz. <strong>RYDER <\/strong>\u2013 Jon Hansen. <strong>SHARON <\/strong>\u2013 Ben Vig. <strong>SELFRIDGE <\/strong>\u2013 Patrick Becker. <strong>SOUTH HEART <\/strong>\u2013 Sarah Ewoniuk. <strong>TIOGA <\/strong>\u2013 Patty Jensen. <strong>TOLNA <\/strong>\u2013 Sheila Rude. <strong>WILLISTON <\/strong>\u2013 Kurt Andre.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, 28 youths received the Torchbearer Award, the highest honor in the Farmers Union youth program. Recipients (listed by county) are:<\/p>\n<p><strong>BARNES <\/strong>\u2013 Avery Murray, Olivia Olson, both of Valley City. <strong>BOWMAN<\/strong> \u2013 Kevin Fischer, Bowman. <strong>BURLEIGH<\/strong> \u2013 Madelyn Jennings, Washburn; Eliza Konieczka, Bismarck; Joe Wood, Lincoln. <strong>DICKEY <\/strong>\u2013 Wyatt Henningsen, Monango; Joshua Olson, Forbes.<strong> EDDY<\/strong> \u2013 Billy Fleming, Warwick. <strong>EMMONS<\/strong> \u2013 Precious Vetter, Linton. <strong>GRANT<\/strong> \u2013 Trevor Rafteseth, Elgin. <strong>LAMOURE<\/strong> \u2013 Karly Just, Berlin; Sammi Weber, LaMoure.<strong> LOGAN<\/strong> \u2013 Janae Weigel, Kintyre. \u00a0<strong>MCLEAN<\/strong> \u2013 Kassidy Reiser, Turtle Lake. <strong>MOUNTRAIL<\/strong> \u2013 Lily Obert, Stanley; Jaylene Rosencrans, Powers Lake. <strong>SARGENT<\/strong> \u2013 Anthony Banish, Rutland; Ethan Bergeman, Forman; Isaiah Throener, Cogswell. <strong>STARK<\/strong> \u2013 Warrick Morel, Dickinson. <strong>STUTSMAN <\/strong>\u2013 Matt Anderson, Jamestown. <strong>TOWNER<\/strong> \u2013 Isak Dease, Munich. <strong>TRAILL<\/strong> \u2013 Noella Kritzberger and Sydney Owens, both of Hillsboro. <strong>WARD<\/strong> \u2013 Logan Redding, Donnybrook. <strong>WILLIAMS<\/strong> \u2013 Madelyn Oster and Lane Veach, both of Ray.<\/p>\n<p>NDFU awarded three Torchbearers a Bergman Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to help offset college education costs. Recipients were Anthony Banish of Rutland, Sammi Weber of LaMoure and Janae Weigel of Kintyre.<\/p>\n<p>Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Company\u2019s annual meeting was also held in conjunction with the NDFU state convention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jamestown\u00a0 (NDFU)\u00a0 \u2013 Mark Watne of Velva was reelected to an eighth year as North Dakota Farmers Union president at the organization\u2019s 94th annual state convention, broadcast virtually from Jamestown on Friday, Dec. 11, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his message to delegates, Watne touched upon the resiliency of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":126050,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-214792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-state"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=214792"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214792\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":214793,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214792\/revisions\/214793"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/126050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=214792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=214792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=214792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}