Farmers, Ranchers & Consumers are all Wondering “What’s Next?” · through tractorcades and...

In this issueIn this issueMaking a Real Impact in a Virtual World 2

Fort Laramie Canal Collapse, Recovery 6-8

How Covid-19 is Impacting Producers 14-15

Farmer’s Share of the Retail Food Dollar 20

This issue of the Rocky Mountain Union Farmer reserved for:

Summer • rmfu.org

– RMFU: Bob Kjelland

The spring of 2020 unleashed a tidal wave of change for the

nation’s entire food supply chain, due to Covid-19. Local, state,

and national governments scrambled to design and implement

guidelines and regulations to protect farm workers and

consumers during the ongoing pandemic. The food distribution

channel faced equally daunting disruptions, especially in the

meat packing industry. As processing line workers fell ill, meat

production dragged, pushing cattle inventories up (bad for

ranchers who had no where to sell), and pushing retail meat

prices up (bad for consumers, who began panic buying). It’s

far too soon to know how all this shake out over the next few

months and the next few years, and not just for producers and

consumers. State and federal lawmakers themselves are finding it difficult to work for the common good. Only time will tell.

RMFU member John Ellis sports a peach of a mask at the Boulder County Farmers Market.

Farmers, Ranchers & Consumers

are all Wondering “What’s Next?”

2020 Rocky Mountain Union Farmer

rmfu.org

We Can Make a Real Difference in a Virtual WorldBy Dale McCall

RMFU President

For more than 100 years, Farmers Union has worked hard to

put you at the table to represent agriculture and rural America.

This is especially true when it comes to making sure state

and national lawmakers

and ag leaders have

opportunities to hear from

you. We do this through

legislative drive-ins to our

respective state capitols

and the annual National

Farmers Union Fly-in to

Washington, DC.

This year, things are

different. The NFU Fly-in this September will be

virtual. What remains the

same is that the RMFU

and NFU staff will open (virtual) doors to assure

you can still show up and

share your story. Think

about this year’s farm

economy.Think about the

pressing need for rural

broadband. Think about

the need for better rural

health care and stress

management. Think about

this year’s disruptions to

the food supply chain and

how it really hurt livestock

producers. Congress needs

to hear these concerns

directly from you, and we’re going to make this happen.

We as a nation need to step up our attention to, and invest

in, agriculture, the food system, and rural America. The time

is right. The need is now. And the only way lawmakers on

Capitol Hill and leaders in USDA and in the White House will

really pay attention is if you make your voice heard.

This year, you can show up without leaving your home.

Through a series of on-line events, Farmers Union members

will be able to connect virtually with the people who can make

a difference in DC. We invite you to join us. And we will make sure you are well-versed on topics important to you. To join a

virtual fly-in team, drop a note to Nick Levendofsky by using the email or phone number in the graphic on this page.

While we are on the topic of showing up and sharing your

We as a nation

need to step up

our attention to,

and investment in,

agriculture, the food

system, and rural

America.

ON MY PLATE

story, keep in mind our policy priorities as an advocacy

organization are written and adopted by members like you. Our normal fall chapter convention events may also look different this year. Please make sure you weigh in and be at the table

where hometown agricultural and community concerns and

solutions are discussed with others who want a better future for

farmers and ranchers.

It is often said the world is run by those who show up. We

see this every day and in different ways. Honestly, it takes more than showing up. It takes speaking up and sharing your

story. Few things are more impactful than a farmer or rancher

explaining to a lawmaker how federal or state policies will hurt

or help their agricultural production operations.

We certainly live in interesting times. Business as usual is no

longer possible. You and I and other Farmers Union members

will work together to make sure rural America doesn’t get

lost in this new way of staying in touch, even if it’s virtual in

nature.

As always, if you have concerns or ideas, please send me

email me at [email protected] or call me at 970-381-0720.

And please say involved in RMFU to continue being the voice

of family farmers and ranchers.

Take care and stay safe and healthy.

2020 Rocky Mountain Union Farmer

rmfu.org

Rocky Mountain Union Farmer7900 E. Union Ave., #200Denver, CO 80237(ISN) 0035-7650

Postmaster: Send address changes to:Rocky Mountain Union Farmer7900 E. Union Ave., #200Denver, CO 80237Subscription rates: $15.00 per year for nonmembers.

The Rocky Mountain Union Farmer is the official publication of the Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America, Rocky

Mountain Division, serving members in Colorado, New Mexico and

Wyoming. Published bimonthly with periodicals postage paid at

Denver, Colorado, and at additional offices.

RMFU Officers: Dale McCall, President; Chad Franke, Vice President; Ken Anderson, Secretary; Ken Macy, Treasurer.RMFU Board: Jan Kochis, Chair (Matheson, Colo.); Ken Anderson (Center, Colo.); John R. Field (Montrose, Colo.); Kenneth Macy (Pine Bluffs, Wyo.); Barb Marty (Strasburg, Colo.); Danny Wood (Peetz, Colo.); Kathleen Box (Tucum-cari, N.M.)

Summer 2020 • Volume 96, Number 2Editor: Bob Kjelland • [email protected]

www.rmfu.org

Find us on Facebook

@ Rocky Mountain Farmers

RMFU

@RMFUnion

HAPPENING NOW

Game On!Golf Tournament

Set For August 18We had to postpone the Golf Tournament this year to

August 18 given the changes necessary to organize social

events. We’re happy to report the tournament is on. We

are making a few modifications to keep everyone safe and to comply with current state orders, but here are a

few details:

We will have to cap the number of players to the first 60 that register.

We are not allowed to do a shotgun start, nor do a

rotation of front and back tee times in an effort to avoid a group gathering, so we are going to have assigned

tee times for each team ranging from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30

a.m.. Once all registrations are in (again to the first 60 players), we will assign your team’s tee time and will

communicate that you prior to the 18th.

Each team will be allowed to show up 30 minutes prior

to your assigned tee time to warm up.

Score cards will be turned in at the conclusion on your

match, and the winners will be announced later in the

week (we will not be allowed to gather and hang out in a

large group after the round due to social distancing and

group restrictions).

Box lunches will be provided to all players.

There will be a few fun contests along the way, as well

as a hole in one contest.

Thank you in advance for helping us raise money

for the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Education

Foundation.

Register now at rmfu.org

CALL TO CONVENTION:

Pursuant to our by-laws provisions, you are hereby notified

that the 112th annual convention of the Farmers Educational

and Cooperative Union of America, Rocky Mountain Division,

will be held November 20-21, 2020, at the DoubleTree Hotel,

919 7th Street, Greeley, CO for the purpose of electing the

Vice President, two members to the Board of Directors from

districts V and VI, and to transact the annual business of

the organization. Official registration will begin at 1:00 pm

Thursday, November 19. County Presidents and Vice Presidents

can seat alternate delegates between 10:00 am and 10:30 am

Saturday, November 20, 2020. Registration will close at 10:30

am. Individuals who will be running for the above positions

must send a letter of intent to Ken Anderson, Secretary/RMFU,

7900 E. Union Ave. # 200, Denver, CO 80237. The letter of intent

must be received at the state office by September 17, 2020.

Ken Anderson, Secretary, RMFU Board of Directors

Rocky Mountain Union Farmer Summer 2020

rmfu.org

MEMBER NEWS

Editor’s Note: RMFU President Dr. Dale McCall typically

addresses the Colorado FFA convention. This year the

convention was held online. Dale recorded his presentation for

use during the event. Here is the text of his message.

Your FFA convention looks quite a bit different this year, it’s true. What is equally true is that you are finding new and innovative ways to excel. Like you, I have worn a blue jacket.

And like you, I trusted FFA to prepare me to handle life and

make the most of my career opportunities.

During this time of uncertainty, we at Rocky Mountain

Farmers Union are grateful to support the FFA program and

the young leaders we’ve come to know over the years. You are

here to make a difference in your own lives, in your hometown community, in agriculture, and across the state and the nation.

You understand the importance of fairness, the value of

hard work, the significance of thinking for yourself, and how cooperation and collaboration can compound beyond your

initial investment of time and talent. Together, you create

greater strength by combining your individual abilities and

interests.

Through your involvement in FFA, you are becoming the

movers and shakers we need in agriculture, in hometown

communities, in Colorado, in America, and across the world.

You are proud of the name on the front of your jacket. It

is who you are. You are proud of the name of your school

or hometown on your back. It is where you are from. Look

around. You share these blue jackets in common. From

here, you are members of Team FFA, an organization that

encourages you to learn your own strengths while discovering

how to leverage your strengths by working with others.

More than ever we need young people, such as you, who

can think for yourselves. Through your FFA activities, you

are demonstrating the skills of researching a topic and then

how to present your views in a compelling way, yet without

turning discussions into arguments. You will never agree with

everyone on everything, yet you can set the example of being

agreeable in how you interact with others. Even if they too are

wearing a blue jacket.

You are willing to invest time in developing your critical

thinking and leadership skills. You are excelling at working

with a team of friends from your own school and discovering

what you have in common with people from across the state.

FFA blue jackets have meaning because of the attitudes and

abilities of the people who have worn them, who wear them

now, and the future generations who will someday answer this

uncommon calling.

There are a couple of facts worth considering today. One, agriculture remains one of the essential cultural and economic

cornerstones of Colorado. Two, farmers and ranchers are

facing difficult times. Farm and ranch families are doing their best to break even in a year when high production costs and

low farmgate prices are driving down their chances of earning

a living. Disagreements in Washington regarding trade are

increasing uncertainty across the land. Rural communities are

feeling left behind, too. Lack of access to rural broadband,

health care, educational opportunities and most importantly,

good-paying jobs, are adding to the difficulties.Believe me, building a better future will happen because of

each one of you. We celebrate the FFA students who are filled with energy and enthusiasm and answers.

Today, agriculture is the state’s second largest industry. It

generates $42 billion in sales and accounts for 175,000 jobs.

We do this with 15 inches of rain, 245 or so days of sunshine

and people like you. Farming, ranching, and rural communities

have survived and thrived decade after decade because FFA

youth were ready and willing to step up and find a way forward. I know, because like you I too wore a blue jacket.

We are looking forward to better times in agriculture.

Wherever life takes you, do your best to make a difference. You might find yourself growing crops or raising livestock. You might find yourself in ag research or marketing or teaching or lending. Whatever you do, do it well and do it to make life

better for everyone you know.

As the president of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, I

applaud your efforts, your achievements, your enthusiasm. In the past three months, our way of life has changed

considerably. You are not letting limitations hold you back.

Indeed, you are charging forward using new ways to connect.

Leaders never quit learning, never back down from what is

right, and never stop listening to others.

Lead on

LeadOn

Summer 2020 Rocky Mountain Union Farmer

rmfu.org

MEMBER NEWS

Zach Dickey, son of Farmers Union Insurance agent

Wendy Dickey, and Bill Steveson were two sharp-

dressed men at a the Foundation Gala a few years

back. Both were sporting bow ties, a Bill Stevenson

favorite. In addition to being the Director of the RMFU

Cooperative Development Center, Bill was often sharing

his leadership insights with RMFU members.

The Farmers Union family lost a professional colleague and

personal friend with the passing of Bill Stevenson on Sunday,

June 14, 2020. Bill suffered a heart attack the day before. He was a spirited advocate for social and economic justice.

And he was equally passionate about working for sustainable

and economical viable family farm and ranch operations and

rural communities. In all ways, Bill was both a gentleman and

a gentle soul. His resume and accomplishments are extensive,

yet he was modest and frequently applauded others for making

a difference while minimizing his own achievements.Bill grew up in Titusville, Pennsylvania, birthplace of the oil

industry in 1859, where his family owned the local newspaper.

He was surrounded by social issues during a time of the

disappearing coal mining and steel industries. He majored in

history in college and proceeded immediately to law school,

starting his career in the legal aid society (poverty law) in

southeast Pennsylvania. Focusing on family law, Bill began to

develop a grasp of mediation as a conflict resolution method.When his wife, Molly, accepted a job in Denver, Bill made

a career move to the National Farmers Union Insurance

companies. He attained several executive positions on the

corporate side at National Farmers Union during his 25 years

there, including general counsel, Senior Vice President of Communications and of Marketing. After leaving NFU in

2008, he began studying theology in a United Methodist

seminary in Denver. He remained closely involved in the

National Farmers Union world, becoming president of the

NFU Foundation in 2009.

He joined Rocky Mountain Farmers Union in 2010 as the

Executive Director of the Cooperative Development Center.

He helped establish such projects as Colorado HealthOP – the Colorado statewide cooperative insurance company formed

under the Affordable Care Act – and worked on its business plan, particularly rural outreach, and to develop its cooperative

culture. Other examples of Bill’s leadership included serving on the executive committee of the Metro Denver Community

Wealth Building Network, which is the first alliance of community organizers and economic developers in the United

Sates to hire a full-time staffer, and which Bill utilized to publicize rural cooperative development projects to help

bridge the challenging rural-urban gap in Colorado. He also

served as chair and president of CooperationWorks! during

its complicated conversion from a cooperative to a 501(c)(3)

nonprofit, principally for fund raising purposes.He was preceded in death by his wife, Molly. He is survived

by his children William Stevenson, Mamie Stevenson-Morago,

and Sophia Stevenson.

Remembering Bill Stevenson,

RMFU Co-op Mover & Shaker


rmfu.org

WATER IN THE WEST

How did you get involved with the Goshen

Irrigation District?

My dad had worked here, and then when the farm I worked

on was downsizing, I got a job here 24 years ago. I’ve had

two jobs my entire life: 20 years working for a farmer north

of Torrington and 24 years here. I’ve been manager for the

last seven years. I was on the crew first, then the maintenance foreman, and in the last seven years I’ve been the manager.

What does the Goshen Irrigation District

do?

We get our diversion out of the North Platte River by

Guernsey. The water goes into the canal and we deliver the

water to each farm on our system – there are approximately

400 families (accounts) in our system, servicing about 52,000

acres.

Can you briefly describe the tunnel and

canal system that the GID manages?

We have 85 miles of canal that go from Guernsey to the

Nebraska state line. We have 400 miles of laterals and 200

miles of drains. Lateral ditches go off the main canal. We have two tunnels in the 85 miles of canal. Tunnel Two, the one that

collapsed, is 2,200 feet in length. Tunnel One, which is five miles upstream is, 2,700 feet. Tunnel Two was built in 1917

and is 102 years old.

Those are impressive tunnels- nearly a

half mile long! What is the diameter of the

tunnel? Can you briefly describe Tunnel Two

to help readers better visualize the system?

The tunnels are identical; they’re not that far apart. They are fourteen feet in diameter. So they are pretty good size, and

they’re made of concrete.

Can you describe the Fort Laramie Tunnel

Two Collapse?

At 1 a.m. the morning of the July 17, I got an alarm.

The canal is on a SCADA [Supervisory Control and Data

Acquisition] system – we have automation – actually, I live

just across the street from the office. I always come over and check my alarms. From checking, I could see we had a big

problem. The canal right there had way too much water in it,

and the canal down-stream didn’t have any water. It didn’t take

long to figure out the canal had a break in it, so I jumped in my truck and drove up there. We have a check structure right there

and I thought a tree got in the check and plugged it up, causing

Editor’s Note: For most producers across the western

states, dealing with aging infrastructure is a fact of life.

As our roads, bridges, and canals age past the century

mark, systems failures may - and in fact are - become

more frequent. A tunnel collapse on the Fort Laramie

Canal in July 2019 was one of the worst irrigation disasters

in Wyoming’s history. After heavy spring rains, the

Tunnel Two collapsed on the Fort Laramie Canal causing

the banks of the Fort Laramie Canal to fail. Farmers in

southeastern Wyoming and western Nebraska were cut

off from irrigation water at the height of the growing

season; an estimated 107,000 acres of cropland were

affected. The Goshen Irrigation District (GID), the lo-cal

community, organizations, private businesses and federal

agencies all pulled together to re-pair the broken system

in an impressive manner. RMFU’s Hana Fancher sat down

with Rob Posten, GID Manager, to discuss the events that

took place last summer and the lessons learned to offer

insights moving forward. The Goshen Irrigation District

is currently up and running, with a smooth start to 2020

irrigation season.

Fort Laramie Canal

Collapse and

Recovery Revealed

Need to Maintain

Ag Infrastructure


rmfu.org

WATER IN THE WEST

the ditch to wash out. I had never dreamed that the tunnel had

collapsed. In the dark, I could tell we didn’t have anything in

the check, which really had me baffled. We drove up on the hill to get to the other side and we could see there was a hole there

that was 150 feet across and 55 feet deep. All that dirt was in

the tunnel and completely shut it off, which backed the canal up and made it run over and ultimately made it wash out.

Several articles speculated that the sink

hole might have been caused by heavy rains

earlier in the year. Is there any truth to that?

I think it was years and years of rains and it’s just hourglass

sand up there in the terrain above and around the tunnel. And

over the years, voids started forming. It could even have been

a gopher hole, which we couldn’t see from the inside of the

tunnel during visual inspection. Last year was an unbelievably

wet spring, and like I said, it’s just hourglass sand, so it got so

heavy and so wet and there was a void so that when the tunnel

caved in, the sink hole just kept going and went right through

the roof. The hole really wasn’t that big. I don’t want to

downplay it, but it was 17 feet long and five feet wide. It was enough, but it wasn’t like the whole top of the tunnel caved in.

How did the Goshen Irrigation District

respond to the collapse?

I started making all the calls I thought I needed to make.

But, like I always tell people, in my desk there isn’t a manual

that says, ‘When the tunnel collapses this is what you do.”

Especially at one in the morning. I went up and shut our main

canal gates off: there was 1,325 cubic feet per second of water in our canal at the time, so when I shut the gates off, it put that much back in the river and the Bureau of Reclamation needed

to know about that. So I called our representative from the

Bureau of Reclamation in Torrington at 1 a.m. and told him

what I had done. Then I called our emergency manager, Shelly

Kirchhefer, and let her know what was going on because all that water was going into the river where it washed out. But

even after you shut it off there’s 13 miles of ditch that has to drain. It took almost two days to drain.

Then we just started assessing what we needed to do, and the

Bureau was really helpful with that. They had contacts with the

tunnel people. I was not going to send my people in there. We

are a small, small community, and I can tell you about what

every one of my guys is having for supper every night. I’m not

sending them in a tunnel that just collapsed. We’re not miners,

we’re irrigators. Anyway, the Bureau gave me names of several

people to call. That happened on a Wednesday morning, and

by Friday morning those guys were here from Dallas, Texas. It

was amazing how quick they got out here.

When it came to getting the repair work

done, it was certainly sounds like it was

a group effort. Can you describe a little

more about the repair work and how it was

organized?

SAK Corporation did the work, Their company is out of St. Louis. They did all of the tunnel work. There was another

company that did the canal breach and that was Russel

Excavation. But our guys did the digging over at the tunnel.

What was the temporary repair work, and

how will the permanent solution build on

the temporary repair?

What they did for the temporary repair is what they call void

grouting. Void grouting goes out a couple feet and fills all the cracks and voids. Then they put in ribs – support ribs – where

the bad spots were.

What they’re going to do for the permanent fix is called permeation grouting, which goes out ten to eleven feet. What

it does is, it turns the sand around the tunnel into kind of real

low-grade concrete. It’s not like the type of concrete you’d

have to jack hammer, but it makes it kind of like sandstone

so solid. It’s not like you can build a house on it but it at least

it won’t cave in anymore. Essentially, it cases the tunnel in

eleven feet of rock. After the permeation grouting is done, we

can take the ribs out of the tunnel.

What has been the community response?

My board of directors, secretary, office staff, and field guys worked seven days a week – sometimes 20 hours a day - for 67

days straight to get that going. They were used to working 10-

hour days – and none of us are spring chickens anymore - and

for them to do that and hear none of them whine… I’m very

proud of everyone.

The community just pulled together. The community was

amazing. Churches wanted to start cooking meals. I don’t

know when they started or if they knew that it was going to be

for 70 days. I mean, it was six weeks before we got the water

going. We actually lucked out and some people that run the

sale barn down here made lunches for the whole time, every

day, seven days a week and the local Farm Bureau paid for

those lunches. So, the donations we had were incredible. And

individual people, too, would donate pallets of water. It was the

easiest thing for people to do. We had 50 or 60 guys up there

working and they needed something to drink when it was 100

degrees out, so when people found out they could just buy a

pallet of water at the grocery store, that’s what a lot of people


rmfu.org

WATER IN THE WEST

did. That was very cool. They [the community] did some

benefit concerts, just like they do in small communities all over. This is what people do in small towns – you find the good in people when something like that happens.

Is there any risk for a similar event occurring

on the other tunnel, did the Bureau of

Reclamation do any kind of analysis on

Tunnel One?

The other tunnel has all been checked out too. There’s been

void grouting and ribs put in both tunnels. We had to do that

before we could run water this year. Actually, we had to do a

little of it to the other tunnel before we could run water last

year. So yes, both of the tunnels achieve the recommendations

of the Bureau for the temporary fix.

What do you think needs to happen moving

forward?

I’ve talked to the governor more this year than my whole

life! Before this year, I’d never even met the Wyoming

governor. I always knew who he was, but I’d never met him.

But my goodness, I about know Governor Mark Gordon on a

first name basis.They’ve talked about trying to get some emergency funding

set up, not just for us, but for statewide things. It just woke a

lot of people up, us included. I don’t wish that on anybody, I

wish we didn’t have to be the guinea pigs, but that’s just how it

worked out.

You guys were impressive how you handled

it and got water back to everybody.

Well, thank you. Yes, we worked our tails off and those tunnel guys are amazing, too. We worked on top of the ground,

and they worked under the ground. We dug the holes and the

more dirt we moved from above, the less dirt they had to move

from inside the tunnel. They told us, “We can move all that

dirt, but it’s just going to take twice as long. If you guys are

working on it and we’re working on it, maybe we’ll get done in

six weeks instead of 12 weeks.”

We ran for five weeks after we got it going again. I’m always bragging on my guys anyway. I mean, we’re just regular

people, and we got thrown into something none of us had any

idea about. The tunnel people too.

We all had to work together, and I thought we all did a great

job of it. Nobody got hurt or killed, so that was another big

plus.


rmfu.org

DROUGHT RETURNS

Last year, none of Colorado was experience drought

conditions, thanks to exceptional winter snowpack

in the mountain. This year drought conditions are

spreading across Colorado, leaving non-irrigated

fields withering and cutting into water supplies for

those who do irrigate.

More than four-fifths of Colorado is experiencing

abnormally dry conditions and one-third is reporting

extreme or severe drought. Here are the latest

drought maps for Colorado, New Mexico, and

Wyoming.

It’s Dry Out There


rmfu.org

THE TIME IS RIGHT

New Mexico Legislative Wrap-Up

By Pam Roy and Bill Midcap

The New Mexico Legislative Special Session ended Monday,

June 22 and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed all

legislation passed by the Legislature on Tuesday, June 30.

The governor signed the final appropriations bill - HB1, General Appropriations Act - and the governor's message

that provides guidance to all agencies as to budget cuts and

redirection of specific priorities of the governor. As legislators and the governor had to grapple with an estimated $2 billion

decrease in state revenues over the coming year (beginning

July 1), they balanced the budget with a combination of

spending cuts across agencies, funding from reserves, and

federal funding from COVID-19 relief programs. The governor vetoed specific cuts to the early childhood education department of $5 million and $8 million to develop culturally

and linguistically appropriate instructional materials, and $5

million to the Opportunity Scholarship Program.

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, along with other

organizations and coalitions, focused on Legislative Finance

Committee Recommendations to legislators that would affect the food, agriculture, and natural resource priorities. Just

prior to the Special Session, our priorities were part of a letter

organized by the New Mexico Food & Agriculture Policy

Council that was submitted to legislators who had sponsored

our priority legislation. The letter requested that they hold

programs whole and minimize cuts. The letter, and our

collective priorities, were sent to all New Mexico legislators

and the governor by email, postal service, and hand delivered

by our legislative sponsors.

Special Session Outcomes

The majority of RMFU’s priorities stayed within agency

budgets yet will see cuts of four to six percent, depending on

the agency. The priority agriculture programs administered by

the Department of Agriculture (NMDA), including support for

farmers markets and local promotion programs, Soil and Water

Conservation Districts program funds, and the healthy soils

program, will be subject to the NMDA four percent cuts.

Unfortunately, the Agriculture and Natural Resources Pilot

Fund of $1.8 million did not survive the cuts. New Mexico

State University faces a four percent cut across all programs.

Our priorities to continue funding for the Cooperative Extension Services and Experimental Stations were maintained

within the overall university budget and will be subject to the

four percent cut.

New Mexico Grown Fruits and Vegetables for School Meals appropriation of $400,000 and the Elimination of Co-pays for

School Breakfast and Lunch of $650,000 were maintained in

the Public Education Department budget. They will be subject

to the agency cuts. This is a relief, as the Legislative Finance

Committee’s recommendations were to cut both programs by

50 percent.

The new Kiki Saavedra Senior Dignity Fund was reduced by $1 million, leaving a balance of $6.3 million to initiate a

wide variety of programs that will benefit seniors across New Mexico. It is our request that the New Mexico Grown Fruits

and Vegetables for Senior Meal Programs be considered for a modest amount of funding to launch a statewide program,

building on the successful pilot program just completed.

Solvency Measures (SB 5: Capital Outlay Cuts) passed without any vetoes by the governor. These Capital Outlay funds, for the most part, were funds that had been appropriated

prior to the 2020 session and not utilized for project requests in

2018-19.

We look forward to working with agencies to make sure

budget cuts are equitable and no priority programs are harmed.

Most important is the work ahead of us into 2021 and beyond

as we all deal with this new way of life.


rmfu.org

THE NEED IS NOW

By Ed Bowditch

It has been an unprecedented session, with the “recess” due

to Coronavirus from March 14 to May 26. Provided below is a

summary of key issues.

We were successful on a number of fronts regarding

priorities for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Among the bills

that passed included HB 20-1343, Confinement of Egg Laying Hens. This bill guarantees that Colorado will become a “cage

free” state by 2025; also, the passage of this bill will result in the withdrawal of the proposed ballot initiative regarding bird

and animal confinement. Another bill that passed should help address broadband connectivity in rural areas: HB 20-1137.

Unfortunately, a number of key bills did not pass, including

HB 20-1117, the meat labeling bill. Once again, a number of our fellow agricultural organizations – and the retailers – were

successful in killing the bill.

State Budget

Given the massive economic disruptions caused by

Coronavirus, the state faced a $3.3 billion General Fund

shortfall – on a General Fund base of $12 billion. In order to

balance the budget, the Colorado General Assembly took the

following General Fund reductions:

• Reduction to K-12 Education: $723 million

• Reduction to Higher Education: $501 million

• Reduction to Transportation: $50 million

• Reduction in State Reserve: $901 million

Most of the funding for the Department of Agriculture is

from the agricultural community through “user fees.” Still,

the legislature reduced the General Fund where possible,

including a reduction of support for the Commissioner’s Office ($434,000), and smaller reductions for agricultural marketing

and the State Fair.

Expect an even tougher budget in 2021-22.

Coronavirus and other major bills

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the legislature

passed a package of bills, including bills to address housing

assistance (HB 20-1410), funds for behavioral health (HB

20-1411), assistance with utility bills (HB 20-1412), and

whistle-blower protection (HB 20-1415). In addition,

the legislature expanded the availability for sick leave for

employees (SB 20-205), expanded unemployment insurance

(SB 20-207), and expanded reimbursement for telehealth

services (SB 20-212).

Finally, the legislature adopted a number of other major

policy bills in 2021. These include:

• Police Reform – In response to the national issues

surrounding law enforcement, the legislature passed HB 20-

217, which specifies certain types of police behaviors that are prohibited, and addressed the issue of body cams. This bill

passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

• Gallagher – the state’s property tax limitation, approved by

the voters in 1982, will be placed on the ballot for the voters

to consider repealing in 2020. If repealed by the voters, no

taxes would increase, but residential property tax payment

rates would stabilize for the future. This passed with bipartisan

support and greater than two-thirds support in both chambers.

• Tax Policy – late in the session the Democrats passed a bill

eliminating certain tax benefits for larger businesses and high-income individuals through HB 20-1420

• Tobacco Tax – legislators passed HB 20-1427, a

referendum that will be placed on the ballot for the voters to

decide whether to increase the tobacco and nicotine tax.

• Repeal Death Penalty - Colorado joined a number of other

states that have abolished the death penalty with the passage of

SB 20-100.

• Enhance Vaccinations - SB 20-163 modifies the exemption process for vaccinations. In order to qualify for a personal

exemption, individuals must meet with a medical provider or

complete an online immunization education module.

Colorado Legislative Wrap-Up

Governor Jared Polis signs the “cage free” bill.


rmfu.org

THE TIME IS RIGHT

By Nick Levendofsky

Director of External Affairs

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union is a grassroots organization

promoting the interests of family farmers, protecting our

nation’s food, and sustaining rural communities. Policy is

created by farmers and ranchers at the local level and debated

and adopted at the annual RMFU convention. In turn, RMFU

advocates for issues our members set as priorities at the local,

state, and national level.

RMFU members do this through a system of annual meetings

and conventions. County and regional chapter organizations

send delegates and policy recommendations to the state

convention held each November. At the state convention,

the delegates write and approve the policy which guides

the organization’s lobbying and other priorities during the

subsequent year. State delegates and policy recommendations

also advance to the national convention to form National

Farmers Union policy.

In this way, all the diverse and complex interests of the

members from our three states come together in a truly

democratic and grassroots process.

Our membership consists of families and individuals with diverse experiences and backgrounds. It includes farmers,

both rural and urban, who are actively involved in agricultural

production, agricultural professionals, and non-farmers

who want to add their voice on behalf of the principles and

philosophy of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.

How You Can Help Shape RMFU policy

As a member of RMFU, you have a unique opportunity to

influence and shape policy that will direct the organization as it works with Congress, the Colorado, Wyoming, and New

Mexico legislatures, and state and federal agencies.

In the late summer or early fall, the State Policy Committee,

which is comprised of a representative from each board

district, meets to review the entire policy document to make

pertinent updates and corrections, as well as propose new

policy. Each member of the State Policy Committee serves a

two-year term, and terms are staggered.

RMFU strives for diversity in production, background,

and racial and gender equity when selecting members of this

committee. County and regional chapters can present policy

recommendations at this meeting, but most wait until the

committee meets at RMFU’s state convention in November.

The changes made by the State Policy Committee are reflected in the policy book in red type, hence the reason we call that

document the “red line version.” The red line document

is then used by each chapter when they begin their policy

deliberations at county convention. Copies of this document

will be available through the state office, RMFU membership team, and RMFU website soon after the committee meets.

It is important to keep in mind that policy recommendations

should be succinct. We have worked very hard to remove

many of the editorialized comments from our policy book over

the years, and our policy tends to be simplified to give our

RMFU Members Create Our Policy From the Groundroots Up

Farmers Union members show up, stand up, and speak up at chapter, state, and national conventions.


rmfu.org

THE NEED IS NOW

lobbyists the freedom they need to work within the legislative

system.

Prior to your county or regional chapter meeting, consider

policy additions or corrections you would like to see made

to the current policy document. In your chapter, officers may choose to meet before or after the county meeting with a

smaller group of members as a resolutions committee. This

group may discuss issues and develop a list of resolutions

that represent the chapter. If it can be done before the

county meeting, the membership will have an opportunity to

discuss and vote on each resolution submitted by the ad hoc

committee. However, we recognize that getting members

organized right out of farm season can be chaotic, so we

encourage chapters or growers with similar affinities to work together to draft policy however and whenever they can

leading into their respective conventions. RMFU provides each

chapter with Policy Change Forms that must be filled out and sent to the RMFU Director of External Affairs by October 31, 2020, who will then share the proposal with the State Policy

Committee. While any policy proposal can be submitted, the

State Policy Committee will prioritize reviewing proposals that

have gone through an ad hoc committee developed and defined by a group of members.

Your chapter will also elect delegates to represent your

chapter at state convention at this meeting, and the number of

delegates is based on the number of members in the chapter.

The RMFU membership yeam will provide more information

to each chapter as county convention planning begins.

Once the policy is adopted by either the county or regional chapter organization, it is sent to the RMFU State Policy

Committee, which meets the day before the state convention

begins. This committee may approve, reject, or modify a

resolution. If the RMFU State Policy Committee does not

adopt the policy presented by a chapter, that policy can be re-

submitted by a member of the original submitting organization

on the convention floor during policy consideration. Policy adopted by the RMFU State Policy Committee is formally

presented to delegates during the RMFU State Convention.

Each section of policy is reviewed, and changes are noted and

offered for delegate consideration. Delegates adopt, reject, or change wording throughout the document.

The final policy document is adopted by the full body of attending delegates and then posted to the RMFU website

www.rmfu.org/what-we-do/legislation/rmfu-policy/

Current policy books are also available by request through

the state office.

We Can Do Better by

Living the Golden RuleWe are all wrestling with the upheaval our country is

facing right now. For some, you have lived through similar

civil unrest before in the late 1960s. For others, this is a new

and discouraging environment that brings more uncertainty

and unrest to an already challenging time. The horror of the

police action in Minneapolis and the subsequent protests

and rioting nationwide leaves us with a challenging and

complicated aftermath. While we do not condone violence

of any sort, many of our members raised their own concerns

through tractorcades and other visible forms of protest over

the years. As an advocacy organization, we understand

when voices need to unite to bring about overdue change.

As a general farm organization, Rocky Mountain Farmers

Union looks to policy adopted by members to create

a response, and we embrace the bold statement made

by National Farmers Union. When Farmers Union was

founded in 1902, the organization’s motto read, “To Secure

Equity, Establish Justice, and Apply the Golden Rule.”

And 118 years later, we continue to strive toward these

goals for all citizens regardless of race, age, gender, sexual

orientation, gender expression, ability, and religion. We see

every individual as equal, and that equality must apply in

how everyone is treated by us, by our business community,

by our elected officials, and by law enforcement. No matter how you view the violence we are now

experiencing, it is unquestionably a time to consider if

discrimination is happening in our rural and agricultural

communities. We encourage your chapters and members

to make sure your doors are open to people from different backgrounds, regardless of race or creed or culture or

economics, and that everyone is actively welcome in the

Farmers Union family.

This time creates an opportunity to learn what barriers

or challenges exist for everyone in agriculture, and it

creates an opportunity to gain insight into other peoples’

experiences. Sometimes we might not see the challenges

others face – the disproportionate difficulty someone experiences trying to get a loan, the prejudice someone

experiences at a local business, or how certain programs or

actions create barriers today. It is almost overwhelming to

know where to start. For us, we are starting by reaching out

to our organizational leaders.

Together, we can do better.

Please let us know how we can support you or what you

would like to see from your farm organization during this

time. Also, please stay safe and take care of yourselves and

each other.

Sincerely, Dr. Dale McCall, RMFU President


rmfu.org

SHARE YOUR STORY

The year 2020 will be remembered well - if not fondly - by

most Americans. Covid-19 is rewriting the way of life for

farmers, ranchers, consumers and the entire food supply chain.

The pandemic comes at a time when agriculture was already

reeling from a significant drop in farm income due low prices being paid for crops and livestock, high production costs, and a

trade war that disrupted secure trade export markets and added

to growing uncertainty.

Fatuma Emmad, co-founder and executive director of

FrontLine Farming, says Covid-19 is changing the way

business is being done. FrontLine Farming operates five acres across the Denver Metro Region including Adams, Jefferson and Denver County, growing vegetables for local markets.

“Covid has increased interest in our product immensely.

We grew our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) by

triple and have a wait list,” she says. “We did not participate

in any direct sales as we did not need to and were able to pre

sell. On the down side we have seen costs increase for all our packaging. Shipping costs increase and the costs of personal

protection equipment for our workers increases costs. We also

have dealt with labor shortages as we have had to keep our

crews limited and have seen greater demand for production we

are trying to manage with less workers.”

The unanticipated and rapid change in consumer buying

preferences has yielded both good and bad news, he explains.

“We expect to increase our gross net. I cannot say at this

moment by what percentage as we have also had to divert

sales from restaurants and other niche outlets that helped us

with increased prices for our products. We also will not be able

to sell more expensive products such as edible flowers and flowers. We do not know what the demand for flowers will be but we have chosen to not allocate any of our food growing

land to flower production this year.” For Eastern Plains farmer Danny Wood of Peetz, Colorado,

Covid-19 has not dramatically affected the day-to-day

operations. “The main thing is the inconvenience of some parts

stores and other farm businesses not being open to the public,”

he says. “We do not have a lot of close contact with people so

the social distancing has not been a huge deal.”

Over the course of the business year, Covid-19 will definitely reduce gross and net income, he adds. The price of corn so

far is the largest hit because of the lack of use in ethanol

production. “I would expect to see a 30% reduction in net, and

there was not much - if any profit - before this. This is very scary time to me as we are paying high prices for our inputs

and are looking at really low commodity prices.” Ethanol

production has been curtailed in response to the significant drop in gasoline sales as fewer people are driving anywhere.

The indirect impact of Covid-19 on farming communities is

more than just economic. “Our community is affected by the closing of the school, which is a huge hub of our community.

Also the closing of the bar, as it is the social center of the

community. The churches are closed and that places a great

emotional toll on members of the community.”

Wood did not apply for specific Covid-19 federal programs aimed at farmers as he was told it could affect his existing farm program arrangements. “We are hoping maybe there will be an

additional MFP or some payment like that. Would rather just

see commodity prices rebound quickly but we all know that is

not likely to happen.”

And, he appreciates that the energy industry is hurting along

with the ag industry. Both are essential to rural economies.

“The best thing I could see happen is the ethanol industry

rebound to use corn. Everyone thinks cheap fuel is the greatest.

From my perspective it is not. When we pay more for fuel

the oil industry does well. When oil does well we usually see

better commodity prices. When farmers have more dollars

to spend we spend it in towns for a lot of different inputs. When farmers have more to spend everyone benefits from the additional income in their town businesses.”

Covid-19’s Unpredictable Impact on Ag


rmfu.org

FAST FACTS


rmfu.org

STAFF REPORTS

By Harrison Topp

RMFU Director of Membership

During this time of year, thinking coherent

thoughts, much less writing coherent

sentences, does not always come easily. The

topsy-turvy world we inhabit, and continue

trying to feed, is only exacerbating the

confusion.

On our farm, the pandemic and a devastating frost have created a very

challenging situation. I’m sure we’ll make it

through, but not without considerably more

stress and much less income. Thankfully,

I’ve taken a lot of solace in the network we

have in Farmers Union. Keeping in touch with our members and county officers has helped me feel less alone. In some cases,

our chapters are creating inspiring change

in their communities through Covid relief

programs, online marketing for area farms,

educational webinars, and virtual meetings.

Like our chapters, we are adapting as

staff. With in-person events on hiatus, camps postponed or cancelled, legislatures

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union’s Cooperative Development

Center has been working with the non-profit CCS Learning Academy (doing business as You be You Early Learning) since

2015. The Cooperative Development Center helped draft the

model for the CCS Learning Academy’s first Early Childhood Education programs, while also donating some of the start-up

funds. Through the partnership, You be You Early Learning

now has a home... in a bus.

A bus once belonging to an Ohio library will now become the first mobile preschool classroom for You. The bus will provide space to allow You be You to provide equitable and

student-centered STEAM-based programs to communities

around Colorado.

The mobile preschool classroom concept was created in

2017 by a passionate coalition of pre-K and K-12 educators determined to break the school-to-prison path and close

the achievement gap affecting kids living in communities hampered by limited resources. By starting so young, You

be You will be giving 3- to 5-year-old kids the necessary

foundation to prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.

The innovative programs are designed to promote social,

emotional, physical, and cognitive growth, giving the kids the

best chance to succeed in kindergarten and future learning.

out of session, and global forces

whimsically playing with ag markets,

we’re working hard to stay on our

feet and learn new skill sets for this

ever-changing world.

I know many of you are doing the

same things on your farms. We’ve

moved many of our events online.

We’re working to make sure relief

funds are available to everyone who

needs them. We’re informing working

groups and coalitions about the real

needs of farmers and ranchers. And

we’re striking while the iron is hot at

many of the national ag issues including

consolidation, mental health funding,

and food safety.

So how do we move forward? What

will county conventions look like? It’s

very hard to say. It’s important to us

that chapters and members stay safe

and follow the guidance of local, state,

and federal public health guidelines.

It’s also very important that we work

together, set policy, and move forward as

an organization and network of farmers,

ranchers, and food systems advocates.

We’re here to support your chapters as

the summer wanes to late summer and

eventually to fall. We’ll have your back

as you emerge from the rock-tumbler

that is this season.

Stay safe and stay healthy.

With the classroom being mobile and soon to be operational,

You be You can reach out to low-income and minority families

all over Colorado.

The You be You team is supported by a coalition of

multicultural, multilingual educators, local community experts,

and an engaged board of directors. You be You’s relationship

with the community is grounded in the collaborative teamwork

of parents, teachers, and the community to support common

core values of inclusivity, diversity, creativity, equity, and

sustainability. The cooperative business and leadership

models are designed to be most inclusive, sustainable, and

equitable means to promote teacher, community, and student

empowerment. The team seeks to grow their cooperative to

include legal and financial counsel, while also replicating their education model and expanding their outreach so more

communities can have access to early childhood education

programs.

The late Bill Stevenson worked alongside CCS Learning to

get this project off the ground and he was a great mentor to the team of You be You. He was excited to hear about the arrival

of their bus. Thanks to him, a forward thinking cooperative

has the opportunity to make a difference in the Colorado community.

Finding common ground and collaboration in a season of chaos

Cooperative Development Center Helps Puts Wheels Under Early Childhood Learning


rmfu.org

STAFF REPORTS

By Daisy Miller

RMFU Summer Intern

I learned about the open Summer Intern position in June

2019 and thought it was a great opportunity to continue

working with Rocky Mountain Farmers Union throughout

the year. I had already worked for two weeks at the RMFU

summer camps and been talking about serving as the youth

representative for the policy committee that August and

November.

At the time, I was not quite ready to commit to the position

the following June, but I knew that it was something I wanted

to do. As time had passed, I began hearing about it more often

and my intrigue only grew. I finally decided that I was ready to be the summer intern in January and began to get my schedule

ready to be available.

Then March came. Covid-19 left everything so uncertain

as to what was possible. Both my other jobs had effectively closed down and I did not know if the internship would be

available this summer. I received an email asking if I was still

planning on being the summer intern and if so to know the start

date, unfortunately, had to be pushed back to late June. I was

excited to learn so much more about the organization.

When I finally got to start as the intern in late June, everything was different. Covid-19 brought restrictions to businesses, so the RMFU office was relatively quiet most days. I was determined to stay busy regardless of not getting

to see everyone I was supposed to be helping. The tasks a

summer intern usually does is to assist every director with

special projects as needed. My first one would have been camp, however, as with a lot of other fun things this summer, it was

cancelled as the risk outweighed the reward and the safety

of the campers and staff was most important. Though I was definitely devastated, I completely understood. So, I started sitting on Zoom calls with Nick Levendofsky for external

affairs.Before the internship, I did not give much thought about

external affairs beyond its policy focus. I found that it was a lot more complex and interesting than it sounds. In the beginning,

most of the calls were with Colorado Food and Farms or NFU

and Farmers Union state legislative directors. Much of the

discussion was on Covid relief programs and how everyone

was handling the pandemic. We sat on a few calls at first, but then we had bill signings to attend and Colorado Rural PAC

letters to get out. The bill signing was pretty interesting. I had

never attended anything like it before. I got a chance to see the

governor of Colorado and listen to what he had to say about the

bill. While I may not understand everything about the process

of making bills and the bill signings, it was a wonderful

opportunity to watch it unfold. Between the calls and the little

projects, the external affairs department got busy and I had

loads to help out with. I found that even the smallest task was

fun and kept me busy. But honestly, I might just be a weirdo.

I was given a couple articles to write by Cooperative

Development Center Director Bill Stevenson about TableTop

Co-op in New Mexico and a local early childhood education

co-op called You be You Learning in Denver. TableTop had

helped its first participant who enrolled in the beginning farmers and ranchers program. He began planting on his own

piece of property and selling to a local food market. It was the

first success for TableTop’s new program. I was excited to put together such a wonderful article highlighting the enrollee’s

accomplishments, as it was no small feat. You be You’s article

was about receiving their first preschool bus that would be their first mobile classroom to help out children and families in low-income communities. Since I worked at the summer

leadership camp and at an elementary school, this educational

co-op’s vision and programs caught my interest. I spent a long

time researching them to make sure I conveyed their plans in

the best possible way, because a child’s education is important.

I knew with the continued help Co-op Development Center the

You be You program could go so much further to help more

families. Unfortunately, after I started Bill Stevenson passed

away. Though I did not know him well, I knew the office was feeling his loss tremendously, so I focused on the articles. I

wanted to make sure his excitement about these two wonderful

cooperatives shined through the words I wrote. They were

important to him, and I could not let him down.

Right now, my last few projects are helping review and get

in contact with Farm Aid grant applicants. I am sad that I did

not get to spend as much time working as an office intern in a typical setting, but the experience itself means a lot to me. I

knew that this was a great organization before, but now there

is no question that they are dedicated to their members and

passionate about what they do day-to-day.

The Life of an RMFU Summer Intern

Daisy Miller


rmfu.org

WHERE WE STAND

RMFU Welcomes RESILIENT Act

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet introduced new

legislation to improve how rural communities can secure

federal support to develop new projects and invest in their

infrastructure. The Reforming, Expanding, and Simplifying

Investment for Local Infrastructure to Enhance our

Neighborhoods and Towns (RESILIENT) Act empowers rural

communities to upgrade their infrastructure by expanding

technical assistance, strengthening local capacity, and

improving access to federal funding. This bill is the result of

close consultation with water infrastructure experts, regional

economic development organizations, town clerks, managers,

and Councils of Government across Colorado who offered valuable input to identify how the federal government can

better serve rural America.

“Rural communities across the nation face many of the

same challenges as larger communities, but often with fewer

local staff and resources. As those who live and work in rural areas know, it’s often the ‘same ten people’ who work in

local government, run a local business, serve on church or

ditch boards, and coach sports teams,” said Bennet. “While

the best ideas for rural infrastructure start at the local level,

accessing federal funding and navigating federal programs is

often difficult and costly, leaving communities with an uphill battle to maintain their roads, bridges, water systems, and other

critical infrastructure.

RMFU President Dr. Dale McCall added, “Rural

infrastructure limitations often inhibit economic welfare and

hamper business, education, and healthcare options. While

farm equipment has grown over the years, many rural roads

and bridges remain outdated and in disrepair. High speed

internet is no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity as more

rural citizens are working and learning from home. Community

water projects can cost millions of dollars, and limited local

resources often mean existing infrastructure is not afforded necessary maintenance. Rocky Mountain Farmers Union

(RMFU) members have long advocated for equity with urban

areas, and we support infrastructure programs that promote

stable economic systems and preserve rural character. That

is exactly what the RESILIENT Act does, and we are proud

to support this commonsense legislation and thank Senator

Bennet for his leadership in addressing this important issue.”

The RESILIENT Act:

• Invests in local capacity and collaborative solutions by

funding on-site technical assistance teams and reducing the

cost of innovative projects with predevelopment grants.

• Simplifies federal bureaucracy by establishing a one-stop-shop for rural infrastructure at USDA and dedicating staff at each federal infrastructure agency to work directly with, and on

behalf of, rural communities.

• Empowers local leaders and innovative projects by

establishing a pilot program for small towns and rural areas to

combine multiple infrastructure needs into a single project and

making federal funding more accessible and flexible.

Northern Integrated Supply Project

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union (RMFU) supports those

water projects that retain water use in the State of Colorado

and encourage construction of additional projects which are

directly beneficial to agriculture and the economy of our state, such as the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP).

The Colorado Water Plan identifies the need for 400,000 acre-feet of additional storage. The Northern Integrated

Supply Project, with its two new reservoirs, would help meet

that demand while also implementing about $60 million in

mitigation and enhancement measures for local wildlife and the

environment, and creating new recreation opportunities, along

with extensive other benefits for northern Colorado.

Recreation at Glade Reservoir will provide an estimated

$13-$30 million in additional economic activity annually for

Larimer County – yet another one of NISP’s many, many

benefits to Larimer County and rest of the region.

The 15 municipalities and water districts participating in

NISP have collectively reduced per capita water use by about

30 percent since 2000 and continue exploring ways to be more

efficient. But with populations expected to double by mid-century, water-storage projects like NISP will also be vital to

meet their demands.

Without NISP, the communities participating in the project

will most likely be left to purchase more water from existing

farms and ranches — needing to dry up more than 64,000 acres

of irrigated farmground to attain the amount of water that NISP

would provide.

In addition to NISP helping slow the ongoing buy-and-dry

trend, we’ll also be collaborating with and compensating local

farmers who take part in NISP’s water ex-changes and the

project’s WaterSecure program, which will help enhance the

long-term viability of those ag operations.

Because NISP is widely recognized as a project that will

provide much-needed water storage, benefit local wildlife and the environment, bring new recreation opportunities to region,

and help protect local farms, it’s been endorsed by numerous

public officials, organizations, publications and others.

Northern Water has worked with local, state and federal

entities for decades to responsibly supply the vital resource

that grows northern Colorado’s food, arrives at local residents’

taps, offers recreation and more. We trust them to continue that legacy with a project future generations desperately need.


rmfu.org

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Roswell

Roswell

Roswell

Santa Fe

Santa Teresa

Tucumcari

Tucumcari

505-294-9414

575-882-2111

505-334-2253

505-281-5099

575-762-7850

575-935-0417

505-934-5007

505-425-9275

505-425-5696

505-865-9600

575-359-1227

575-622-1205

575-623-5422

575-625-1463

505-982-8703

575-589-0940

575-461-3156

575-461-0240

FUSA AGENTS IN NEW MEXICO

Jonathan Schrack

Aaron Knifong

Ercella Stevenson

Kara Koss

Elizabeth Jones

Eric Scalzo

Christine Montgomery

Windy Noble

James Jarrett

Cindy Fabrizius

Justin Visser

Kristy Green

William deRyk

Casper

Cheyenne

Cheyenne

Douglas

Gillette

Gillette

Green River

Pinedale

Powell

Riverton

Thayne

Torrington

Wheatland

307-234-1522

307-772-3333

307-638-7770

307-298-4819

307-682-6520

307-682-5788

307-875-5078

307-367-3886

307-754-3625

307-856-5278

307-883-2274

307-532-5542

307-322-9129

FUSA AGENTS IN WYOMING


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Farmers, Ranchers & Consumers are all Wondering “What’s Next?” · through tractorcades and...

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