North Dakota Farmers Union President
Elwood "Woody" Barth
Elwood "Woody" Barth was elected president in November 2011. He serves as president of Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Company and Farmers Union Service Association. Prior to his election as president, Barth served as vice president of NDFU (2008-2011). He previously served as District V Director for North Dakota and as State Secretary. He was also a member of the NDFU legislative team.
Woody raises beef cattle and grows corn. Barth currently serves as chairman of the North Dakota Credit Review Board. He represents NDFU on the Board of Directors for North Dakota Natural Beef. He is an active community volunteer and board member of the Flasher Community Credit Union. Barth and his wife Carmell farm south of Mandan.
Message from the president:
Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” These words ring true today.
We face many challenges in North Dakota. With the oil boom, we have seen an increase in truck traffic, cost of living, crime rates and safety issues. Flooding has created its own set of problems in Minot, Bismarck and the Red River Valley. Our infrastructure needs across the state must be addressed. As population decreases in rural areas, we are challenged to keep our schools open, health care accessible and meet workforce demands. We want to continue to keep young people working in our state and see the agricultural community thrive.
Rural America needs strong leadership to start addressing these problems. Leadership is all about making things happen. It’s about ordinary people willing to step forward and speak up about change. It’s about thinking differently for the future.
Farmers Union is committed to strengthening our rural communities. There is a world of knowledge available for rural leaders. We need to stand together to make our state stronger and improve our quality of life. Together, we can make a difference in North Dakota.
We want to encourage and build up our workforce. We encourage leadership development and want to see more people get involved. Think about opportunities within your local county board or at your co-op’s annual meeting. Consider running for the board of directors, school board, or civic organization. Become a more active Farmers Union member. If you have ideas or concerns, be sure to speak up.
Please be an active member and ask others to join in as we stand up for rural America. With North Dakota Farmers Union, you are not alone.
