President’s Column – April 2022
Get out the rural vote
The primary Election Day is just a few weeks away, and I hope each of you have it circled on your calendar—or maybe you’ve gotten your mail-in ballot already. This is the day when we as Nebraskans have a clear say in who we want to be the next governor in Nebraska. We encourage you to vote for Jim Pillen. Also, look at all the candidates the NEFB-PAC supports in our election guide on pages 7-9.
I hope you had a chance to go to any of the Jim Pillen Meet and Greet events. They were great opportunities to get to know Jim and what he will do for Nebraska agriculture. After being at most of these events, I can tell you that he will work to strengthen our communities, grow our economy, preserve our family values, and make sure Nebraska farmers and ranchers can always be successful. He understands that when Nebraska farmers and ranchers do well, all Nebraskans do better.
People tend to evaluate candidates based on who they are and what they stand for, and people tend to vote after talking with a friend or family member. Spread the word about Jim. He is a man with deep roots in Nebraska. He comes from agriculture. He’s built a successful family business here in our state. He understands the importance of strong communities. He brings public service experience to the table, serving on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Board of Regents. He’s fiscally conservative, and people believe he’ll bring a commonsense approach to addressing key issues and leading our state.
The next Nebraska governor will have major issues to tackle, such as addressing tax and school-funding reform. Jim supports education and is committed to fixing our broken tax system, which relies far too heavily on property taxes. The next governor will need to continue to work to grow our state. That means working to ensure high-speed and high-quality internet service is available across Nebraska. Jim has made that a priority. It also means expanding markets for our Nebraska agricultural products, whether that’s supporting the development of businesses that add value to our products here in Nebraska or moving our products into international markets. Jim’s committed to helping our state and agriculture grow.
I would say Farm Bureau members are more informed and engaged in the political process. I’m proud of the role that Nebraska Farm Bureau has played in supporting candidates who understand agricultural issues and equipping our members with the information needed to vote for those who they believe will be the best champion for farmers and ranchers, as well as anyone who cares about having a strong agriculture industry and food security.
Elections aren’t decided by the people who stay home, and farmers and ranchers aren’t ones to sit on the sidelines when something needs to get done. Let’s get out the farm/ranch vote May 10 and ensure that the issues facing agriculture remain a top priority for our elected leaders. See you at the polls!
Mark McHargue
President
