Members of the National Farmers Union (NFU) are meeting with administration officials and Congressional representatives in Washington DC this week for the organization’s 2015 Fall Legislative Fly-In.

“This fall has proven to be a very important time for several Farmers Union issues, including the path forward for voluntary Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), the full implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as well as several trade-related issues,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “The fly-in allows family farmers and ranchers whose lives and livelihoods are shaped by these policies to come to the nation’s capital to make clear that their voices are heard.”

Some 275 Farmers Union members have gathered in Washington for this year’s fly-in who will be visiting the offices of every member of Congress to highlight the priorities of the organization, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). “NFU has long been concerned about the impact that trade agreements have on our sovereign rights as a nation,” said Johnson. “First and foremost, all future trade agreements – including TPP – should seek to achieve an overall balance of payments, eliminate our trade deficits and reduce our foreign debt,” he said.

Johnson also noted that NFU has long supported full restoration of trade with Cuba, and thanked the administration for taking steps to make that goal possible. “We applaud the Obama administration for tossing the failed embargo policy in the trash bin of history and hope that we can achieve full restoration of trade and an end to the travel ban soon,” he said.