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Climate change, consolidation remain top priorities for NFU

The new president of National Farmers Union, Rob Larew, says climate change will continue to be a top priority issue for the organization. 

“As we all know, it’s an existential challenge facing all farmers—and actually, quite frankly, the planet,” he says. “It’s the biggest issue facing us long term. We all see that in our weather challenges and the disasters that we’re seeing with changing weather patterns.”

Ag industry consolidation is another priority issue for NFU.

“I think there’s, unfortunately, a belief among a lot of folks that this is inevitable—that it’s just a natural trend,” Larew says. “But the fact is that there are government interpretations of these mergers—there are policies in place that accelerate the consolidation. And what that does is it just continues to put pressure downward to farmers and leaves them with higher prices, fewer choices and less innovation—and that’s not good for any of us.”

Larew says the struggling farm economy and trade will continue to be top priorities under his leadership.

Brownfield interviewed Larew at the recent Farmers Union convention in Savannah, Georgia.