New NFU president hits the road running

Focused on renewables and farmer to consumer marketing

By Sara Wyant

Since taking the helm of the National Farmers Union in March of this year, top staffer turned president, Tom Buis has been on the equivalent of a giant road trip. By plane, train and automobile, he's visited 14 state affiliates and also conducted a massive media outreach effort to major newspapers, farm publications and radio stations.

Buis has quite a story to tell--about his background as well as the direction he hopes to take one of the nation's oldest farm organizations. Before moving to Washington, D.C., Buis was a full-time grain and livestock farmer in Putnam and Morgan counties in West Central Indiana, with brothers Mike and Jeff, who continue to operate the family farm. He first got bitten by the political bug at the local level and then headed to Washington, D.C. almost 20 years ago to work for a young congressman in a cramped Capitol Hill office.

I first met Buis when he worked in that office--first as a legislative assistant for former Rep. Jim Jontz, D-IN, and we continued to cross paths as he worked for Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. For the last nine years, he's headed up the NFU's lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., as vice president for government relations.

During all of the years I've known Buis, his passion and enthusiasm for helping farmers has never waned. Now, as president of one of the nation's largest general farm organizations, he's got a much stronger stage from which to influence the national agenda and go to bat for those he represents.

As president, Buis says he intends to be an "activist" leader who will help tell agriculture's story. His favorite quote of all time, from former President Dwight Eisenhower, underscores his viewpoint: "Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."

Buis is convinced that more people need to understand the unique challenges and opportunities that farmers face these days. "My role in the organization is to make sure that policymakers and the media really understand what goes on in rural America. The answers lie in the countryside--not from people who may be able to make perfect sense on paper but not understand how something works in reality," he emphasizes.

Revved up over renewables

Some of the most significant opportunities for farmers these days are associated with renewable energy, says Buis. It's an issue he first started working on about 30 years when then Sen. Birch Bayh hired the young Indiana farmer to work on what was then known as "Gasohol."

"Recent high fuel prices combined with a good, strong renewable fuel standard has made ethanol the darling of the industry," he adds. "It's exciting because of the economic opportunity to farmers and ranchers and also the benefits to the nation as we move toward more energy security."

Often overlooked: the impact renewable energy can have on rural communities. "When you see 30 or 100 million gallon ethanol plants, you see jobs and an increased tax base. The ones owned by farmers themselves keep the money in those local communities and it gets reinvested."

"We have to make sure we still have the opportunity for local farmers and investors to keep ownership," adds Buis. One idea is to create some type of mutual fund for renewable energy that would enable small investors to participate.

He's also concerned about generating a reliable supply of feedstocks for new ethanol and biodiesel plants. "What if we have weather related production problems? If prices skyrocket, like they did in 1996, a lot of smaller plants won't be able to compete," Buis explains. That's one reason why NFU is promoting a Renewable Energy Reserve, similar to a farmer-owned reserve. The difference would be that this reserve would be focused on providing lower cost corn and soybeans to locally owned ethanol and biodiesel plants so they could blend less expensive reserve grain and have a steady, available supply.

Selling quality

Buis is especially excited about helping farmers develop new markets based on quality and direct consumer relationships. During the NFU's 104th annual meeting this spring, delegates expressed a strong interest in moving in that direction, he explains.

"The fresh market has grown by leaps and bounds, especially for markets that are organic and source verified, he adds. "More and more chefs want quality, taste and freshness. We believe farmers can provide the solutions."

How do we get that fresh quality product from farm to consumers? It's difficult in a marketplace where food processing has become so concentrated, Buis says. But direct marketing is one area NFU will be looking for new options in federal farm policy.

Already, some state Farmers Union members are finding ways to reach out and sell direct. In Indiana, Farmers Union members are working to sell members' processed meat products to a local school system. The North Dakota Farmers Union will soon launch an even more ambitious effort: opening their own restaurant in Washington D.C. that will feature products produced on farms around the country and delivered fresh. Agraria, which means "from the field" will open June 7 and be jointly managed by the North Dakota Farmers Union's holding company and a restaurant management firm.

Editor's note: Columnist Sara Wyant is president of Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc. and publishes a bi-weekly newsletter, Agri-Pulse, on food and farm policy. For more information, you can e-mail her at Agripulse@aol.com.

Date: 5/25/06

	Web hpj.com

Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2008.  High Plains Publishers, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com