LINCOLN, Neb. — “Value Added Agriculture: Helping Ourselves to a Better Future” is the theme for the 111th annual Nebraska Farmers Union state convention. NeFU President John Hansen said, “Our convention program will focus on taking advantage of value-added opportunities to bring new tax base, tax revenues, good paying jobs, economic opportunities and farm income to rural Nebraska. For 111 years, our organization has used its “can do” attitude and worked together to help ourselves. NeFU has helped organize 445 rural cooperatives, supported the creation of our state’s unique public power system, built our modern biofuels industry, and pioneered the harvesting of our valuable wind and solar resources. Those efforts have brought many billions of dollars of annual value that serves family farm agriculture and rural Nebraska year after year. We build today for a better tomorrow.”

This year’s convention brings 15 state and national speakers and leaders that will discuss the status of public power, biofuels opportunities, water quality, renewable energy development, state legislative issues, national farm and rural issues, soil health, conservation cost share programs, farm and disaster programs, celebrate Nebraska Rural Response Hotline’s 40 years of life-changing service to rural families, and Farmers Union’s history of harnessing the power of organization to build a better future.

NeFU will also elect three NeFU board of directors to three-year terms, select two members from the membership to the NeFU Foundation Board, and elect three delegates and three alternates to the NFU Convention next March in Oklahoma City, set NeFU policy for the next year, and present the President’s Award for outstanding service to family farm agriculture to NeFU member Janece Mollhoff who is retiring from the OPPD board of directors.