“The finest growth that farmland can produce is a careful farmer,” the great poet and Kentucky farmer Wendell Berry once wrote. It’s a line that makes me think fondly of Norm Berg, AFT’s longtime friend and advisor who passed away in March, a few days after his 90th birthday. Norm, who grew up on a small Minnesota farm during the Great Depression, dedicated his career to teaching farmers and ranchers how to be careful stewards of the nation’s soil and other natural resources.

Norm’s work did not end there. He made it his mission to remind all of us—farmers and non-farmers alike—about our shared responsibility to protect the agricultural land we all depend on for local food, clean water, wildlife and so much more. We will miss Norm greatly. He was a mentor and friend to everyone at AFT from the early days of the organization, and he continued to bless us with his unrivaled knowledge about conservation until shortly before he died. If you would like to read more about Norm’s legacy or leave a remembrance about Norm, please visit our condolences page.  

Now that spring is here, I hope you are enjoying the greening of the landscape and the blossoming of long dormant plants. It’s a good time to visit your local farm or farmers’ market to truly experience the bounty that our nation’s farmers and ranchers provide. As our thoughts turn to renewal and growth, I have another important announcement to share with you. I will be stepping down as AFT’s president later this year, so that my wife Judy and I can spend more time on our family’s farm in California. This is a bittersweet time for me. I am looking forward to returning to the family farm, but I will miss greatly the experiences I’ve had and friends I’ve made while serving this wonderful organization as president for nearly 23 years. 

The year ahead will be an exciting time for AFT. The organization is on the verge of launching a bold new strategic plan for the future—one that builds on our farm policy campaign successes and is based on our 27 years of experience working at the intersection of agriculture, the environment and local communities. I will stay involved with AFT to maintain our momentum on key programs and to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.

You’ll hear much more about our exciting new initiatives in the months to come. Until then, please enjoy the spring and don’t forget to appreciate the bounty of your local farms and ranches! Thanks for all that you do to support America’s farm and ranch land.

Ralph Grossi

President