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Tribal advocates keep up legal pressure for fair political maps; 12-member jury sworn in for Trump's historic criminal trial; the importance of healthcare decision planning; and a debt dilemma: poll shows how many people wrestle with college costs.

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Civil rights activists say a court ruling could end the right to protest in three southern states, a federal judge lets January 6th lawsuits proceed against former President Trump, and police arrest dozens at a Columbia University Gaza protest.

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Rural Wyoming needs more vocational teachers to sustain its workforce pipeline, Ohio environmental advocates fear harm from a proposal to open 40-thousand forest acres to fracking and rural communities build bike trail systems to promote nature, boost the economy.

Montanans Bring Frontier Voices to National Farmers Union

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Tuesday, March 17, 2015   

HAVRE, Mont. - Country-of-origin labeling, fair trade policies and encouraging more women and minorities to become farmers and ranchers are among the topics at the National Farmers Union convention, wrapping up today in Wichita, Kansas.

Katie Bangs of Inverness is one of about a dozen Montanans representing the Montana Farmers Union at the event. She says the issues are tough, but they're holding to a focus on the bigger picture, with inspiration yesterday from U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

"Every minute we are fighting among ourselves about agriculture is one minute we lose to advocate for agriculture to the public," says Bangs. "I thought that was a really pertinent message."

The Renewable Fuel Standard is also of concern because there are moves to change it or eliminate it. The National Farmers Union makes the case it has added billions to the economy and is beneficial to family farms and ranches.

Bangs adds family farming is likely going to look different in the next 10 to 20 years.

"The average age of a farmer is 58 years old," she says. "So clearly, there's going to be a lot of turnover happening, and what are we going to do to prepare ourselves for that?"

Other topics on the agenda at the conference included farm safety, changing weather patterns and perennial grains.


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