This past weekend, NDFB members gathered in Bismarck at the Bismarck Hotel and Conference Center to celebrate the 80th NDFB Annual Meeting and form policy that will guide the organization into the next year.
The annual meeting kicked off Friday with NDFB President Daryl Lies thanking the county Farm Bureau volunteers for their dedication to North Dakota agriculture.
"I can't thank our members -- our volunteers -- enough. It's your dedication that inspires guys like me to go after it every day," said Lies.
Remembering members who passed away this last year, Lies stated we must have, "a drive to carry on the way those folks modeled. The strength they showed and the strength they helped others build. It gives us that drive."
Lies emphasized the importance of strengthening our voice for agriculture.
"Now more than ever we must stand up for agriculture on behalf of all North Dakotans and all Americans," Lies said. "We have to ensure elitist activists do not continue to erode our property rights based on false climate change claims and fake fixes to such claims. Whether it is attacks regarding essential nutrients which they claim are greenhouse gases or that meat production is killing our planet, we must stay firm."
"Do you want to be told what you are doing incorrectly, or do you want to share what you are doing to the betterment of your country?" asked Lies.
Lies told the delegates that each one of them has a special spot in that mission to keep American agriculture strong. "We need to shout agriculture's story from the rooftops. We have to stand up and tell our story because the people who are telling ag's story are getting it wrong. We must be responsible for keeping agriculture going."
Lies has been president of NDFB since 2015. He is from Douglas, N.D. and raises hogs, sheep, and goats with an emphasis in show animals. He is the owner of Full Flavor Farms, Daryl's Racing Pigs and serves as a radio host.
Categories: North Dakota, General, Government & Policy