National Farmers Union: Reps. McCollum, Sabo, Oberstar support family farmers

Kennedy and Kline both receive 0% ratings

The National Farmers Union (NFU), which represents a quarter of a million family farmers and ranchers across the country, released its 2005-06 congressional voting record survey. Looking at six key votes in the Senate and the House, the NFU rated legislators on how well their votes corresponded to NFU's positions. Critical issues included estate tax repeal, emergency agricultural disaster assistance, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), renewable fuels, deficit reduction and country-of-origin labeling (COOL).

Among Minnesota's congressional delegation, Reps. Betty McCollum, Martin Sabo and James Oberstar all received 100% ratings. At the other end of the scale, Reps. John Kline and Mark Kennedy received 0%. Collin Peterson received an 83% rating, Gil Gutknecht 33%, and Jim Ramstad 16%.

In the Senate, Mark Dayton garnered 100% while Norm Coleman received 33%.

From the NFU website:

National Farmers Union was founded in 1902 in Point, Texas, to help the family farmer address profitability issues and monopolistic practices while America was courting the Industrial Revolution. Today, with a membership of 250,000 farm and ranch families, NFU continues its original mission to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers and their rural communities. We believe that consumers and producers can work together to promote a quality domestic supply of safe food.

NFU represents farmers and ranchers in all states, with organized chapters in 26 states. The key to the success and credibility of the organization has been Farmers Union’s grassroots structure in which policy positions are initiated locally. The policy process includes the presentation of resolutions by individuals, followed by possible adoption of the resolutions at the local, state and national levels. Members and staff of the Farmers Union advocate these policy positions nationwide.

National Farmers Union believes that good opportunities in production agriculture are the foundation of strong farm and ranch families, and strong farm and ranch families are the basis for thriving rural communities. Vibrant rural communities, in turn, are vital to the health, security and economic well-being of our entire national economy.