RMFU convenes in Cheyenne
The Rocky Mountain Farmers Union (RMFU) 2025 Annual Convention was held Nov. 20-22 at the Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne.
A division of the National Farmers Union (NFU), RMFU is a grassroots organization representing family farmers, ranchers and rural communities in Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.
The organization’s annual convention provides a platform for members to come together to celebrate achievements, foster community, discuss important policy and hold elections.
Preconvention speakers
The gathering kicked off on Nov. 20 with a series of preconvention speakers representing agricultural initiatives throughout Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
First, a panel of Wyoming producers spoke about the opportunities afforded by the Food Freedom Act, which allows for direct-to-consumer sales of homegrown foods throughout the state.
As stated by Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) Division Manager Justin Latham, the act “supports small scale agricultural entrepreneurs; encourages the growth of farmers markets, ranches and farms; fosters a vibrant local food economy and promotes agricultural sustainability and community well-being.”
Following the panel, AgWell Director Carlyle Stewart and Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) Foundation Executive Director Renée Middleton spoke about AgWell and the CFD Pick-Up Man Campaign, which work to increase advocacy about mental health challenges facing agricultural producers in Wyoming and other rural areas.
Next, Kelly Pingree and Livy Lewis, co-directors of the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project, discussed efforts to fight food insecurity and diet-related diseases on the Wind River Reservation through regenerative agriculture and education.
Finally, Cheyenne Robinson, Nicole Borner and Davey Madison, co-owners of the Trillium Cooperative, highlighted the power of collaboration in agriculture through a demonstration comparing the co-op structure to preparing for a branding.
Convention highlights
The convention kicked off on the morning of Nov. 21 with opening ceremonies and a welcoming address from RMFU President Chad Franke.
“It’s an honor for RMFU to serve and represent a diverse range of farmers, ranchers and other agriculturists,” Franke began. “Amplifying their thoughts, opinions and voices is a privilege we don’t take lightly.”
The morning continued with comments from Wyoming Livestock Board Executive Director Steve True, former Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux, NFU President Rob Larew and WDA Deputy Director Joe Budd.
Additionally, members honored the retirement of RMFU Chief Executive Officer Ben Rainbolt, thanking him for his years of service representing the interests of Colorado agriculture.
The day continued with discussions of state policy and concluded with the annual Harvest Moon Gala.
Policy and elections
Every year, RMFU derives its policy democratically based on input from members, who propose ideas in local groups throughout the year or from the floor during annual convention.
This year, members from all three states participated in lively discussions on a wide group of topics, ranging from water rights and protecting private property to funding opportunities for food assistance programs and Farm to School initiatives.
“Members made several additions to our policy to address the needs of family farmers and ranchers based on what they see in the state and what they have heard from the interim committees,” says RMFU Government Relations Advocate Era Aranow. “It was wonderful to be in a room of passionate people agreeing, disagreeing, learning and working together for what they think best for family farmers in Wyoming.”
A detailed list of both state and national policies adopted during the 2025 convention will be available at rmfu.org/legislation later this month.
The convention wrapped up on Nov. 22 with elections.
Franke and District One Director Danny Wood were reelected to their respective positions, and Jenna Anderson and Todd Hagenbuch were appointed as directors for District Three and District Four, respectively.
Keep an eye out for more highlights from the RMFU 2025 Annual Convention in future editions of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
