Olson, Hayes Announce Bid for President, Vice President

By Paul Olson

This is my official announcement that I am seeking another term as president of National Farmers Organization. My current term will expire at our national convention March 12-13, 2024.

If re-elected, I will work with all organizational leadership to ensure a seamless transition into the future. The organization has several individuals in leadership roles that are contemplating retirement in the next few years, and I would like to be involved in the process of carefully selecting the right people to fill these positions.

We are first and foremost a people organization. Without our producers and staff, we could not serve our purpose of marketing and risk management, and all of the work and details that go along with it.

I was last re-elected in 2020, and shortly after that COVID-19 hit and profoundly affected our producers and markets, and the world. Thanks to the tenacity of our producers and staff members, we not only persevered but also grew in production volume and continue that impressive growth today.

Fiscal 2023 will again bring the organization very close to the billion-dollar mark in gross sales. I truly believe we would have exceeded a billion dollars this fiscal year if milk prices had not crashed. This affected National Farmers but a had a much more devastating effect on our dairy producers. There is nothing that causes me to lose more sleep than volatility and general price levels for farm commodities.

During my 54 years as an NFO member, I cannot recall a time that the organization was in as good of a financial condition as it is today. I recognize the importance of working closely with any co-op, organization or groups of farmers and ranchers to collectively enhance the goals and principles of National Farmers Organization.

Our dairy farm became a member of Organic Valley 20 years ago. NFO and Organic Valley have worked closely together since 1988. I recognize all they have done over the years to help keep family farms in business.

National Farmers also was heavily involved in putting OFARM together in the late ’90s and our organic grain division continues to work closely with them today.
We continue to receive producer calls on a daily basis from those who are looking for something better than their present marketer. They realize NFO is still here, we have not been taken over or merged with any group. And yes, we still emphasize the importance of farmers working together for the betterment of all.

I also am announcing Jim Hayes and I are running for the positions of president and vice president as a team. I have had the privilege of knowing Jim and his entire family for most of my adult life, and know he has all the qualifications and passion to further the goals of NFO.

In closing, I hope I have earned your support and take this opportunity to especially thank my wife, Judy, and our entire family for their unwavering support. Finally, thank you to every staff member and those in leadership roles I have had the privilege to work with.

I hope we will be able to continue working together in the future. Our job is never done, it truly takes a village and a team to get the job done.

By Jim Hayes

My name is Jim Hayes and I am running to be your new NFO vice president in 2024. Currently, my wife, Dawn, and I have a 100 cow organic dairy farm. Our son, Andrew, is very active on the farm and will be taking over in the future with his wife, Chelsie, who helps out now when she is available. Dawn and I are second-generation NFO members. My parents, Merlin and Mabel Hayes, joined the organization in 1961.

The National Farmers tradition has carried on into our children, too. Andrew and our oldest son, Austyn, are now the third generation of National Farmers members. Austyn and his wife, Abby, are involved in raising beef and selling through National Farmers. Our youngest daughter, Abbygail, works for the organization as a dairy field representative and quality control manager in Wisconsin. Her husband, Nathen, is involved on the farm, too. Our oldest daughter, Amy, and her husband, Matt, live nearby with their daughter, Maybel, and son, Clint. We have been Organic Valley members since 2000.

I am running for vice president because I want to see the organization to continue moving forward in all of our departments including dairy, livestock, and grain. Dairy and livestock have each had significant growth in the past few years and it would be an honor to help shepherd that growth as vice president.

I have held several offices within the organization. I am currently a national board member, the dairy committee chair and Organic Valley’s DEC representative. I previously served as barn board and county president.

I have also been involved in our largest livestock facility in Manchester, Iowa, through NAFCOR. As president of NAFCOR, I have been there from the beginning as we helped purchase the facility, and later remodel it after a tornado severely damaged it in 2021. Our dairy department also has had significant growth by adding new members, as well as great success working with small groups to help the smaller co-ops. This spreads our costs over more cwt’s.

Through working for NAFCOR, NFO and as a producer, I have had many opportunities to work with current National Farmers President – Paul Olson. Paul has made great management decisions and I know we can work well together, because of the experience and appreciation we both have for this great organization.

Paul has retired a great amount of debt for the organization. I hope he and I can continue this trend as president and vice president. I think one of the most important things to focus on is to continue working with small groups and continue moving forward together as one.

In closing, I thank all the great people who make NFO the organization it is today. Thank you to producers for your production and to the great staff we have to help put it all together. Finally, a great thanks to Paul and his wife, Judy, for the time they have put into this organization and all their sacrifices.

I would greatly appreciate your consideration for me to be your new vice president, and hope to see you at the next convention in Coralville, Iowa, March 12-13.

Thank you and God Bless America.