At the 118th American Farmers and Ranchers state convention in Norman, Oklahoma, Farm Director, KC Sheperd had the chance to visit with the General Council for the National Farmers Union, Dave Velde. Sheperd and Velde talk about Farmers Union Enterprises opening doors for farmers.
Velde said his role with NFU involves the business affairs of the organization, but also provides guidance on governance matters.
New projects created to put more money into the pockets of farmers is one of Velde’s main focuses. He talked about their work in the upper-Midwest, as it would also be a good fit for Oklahoma.
“In the upper-Midwest, we have an entity known as Farmers Union Enterprises, which is a for-profit corporation that I am CEO of,” Velde said. “We look for opportunities to earn money in a way that can enhance the income of farmers in our region. That money that we make from a successful business operation is piled back into the farm organization.”
As this is something that would be welcomed in Oklahoma, Velde talked about taking action to help make that happen. While “going green” is a popular movement, Velde said it is a great opportunity for farmers to be paid for being stewards of the land and taking care of the environment.
“We are looking at things such as carbon sequestration and other cultural practices on the farm, and are very excited about those possibilities,” Velde said.
Velde said he is amazed by the frequency by which Farmers Union Enterprises has been presented with interest from people who have started a business project and need help planning and funding it. Farmers Union Enterprises has had the chance to take part in different business projects to help farmers create more income while practicing environmentally safe practices.
