The North Dakota Farm Bureau Hosts Its Annual Farm And Ranch Conference

A farmer in the area spoke about why it's important to have events like this in the region.

MOORHEAD, Minn- The NDFB brings young farmers and ranchers from across the state to connect and discuss trade, tariffs and crops.

“We try to bring everybody together to have some fun and to network and learn some more about agriculture and leadership,” says Joy Bailey, the Coordinator at NDFB .

Paul Subart has been coming to the Farm and Ranch Conference since he was a little boy.

“These events give us network with other individuals our age and the fact that we’re an organization that’s built on grassroots policy that allows me to take what problems I have in my farm and bring them here, talk with other people and apply them on a larger, legislative scale,” says Paul Subart, a farmer.

They say events like this let other farmers know they’re not alone.

“Everyone knows there’s a wet, long year. Most of us still have crops on the field, I still have crops on the field. Being able to talk to peers, knowing everyone is going through the same fight. We all have the same struggles. Our family is going through the same thing. It really helps ground everybody and realize that we’re still in this together at the end of the day,” he says.

“2019 was a hard year for farmers and ranchers, so I think everybody needs some support system. So whether it be in your local community or from across the state from different farmers or ranchers no matter what, that’s really important to have that network,” she says.

Subart is already preparing for the impending flooding this spring.

“We’re making preparations to be a wet spring and just adjusting our course from there. At this point, it’s out of our control and we can do what we can to adapt for wet weather in the spring,” Subart says.

Subart adds that North Dakota has done a great job of helping farmers by pushing for disaster aid in these difficult times.