New Farmers Union President Signals Shift for Rural Policy and Health

Matt Perdue, a farmer from Ray with prior staff experience at the North Dakota Farmers Union and the National Farmers Union, won election as president at the organization convention in Bismarck on December 15, 2025. Delegates at the convention also re elected the vice president, selected district directors, and chose delegates to represent communities across the state, including Jamestown. The leadership turnover comes as rural communities continue to confront economic pressures, workforce shortages, and gaps in health care access.

Perdue is the tenth person to hold the NDFU presidency and the youngest to date. Convention materials highlighted his background in cooperative development and adult education work with the organization, and he described his priorities to members during the meeting. Those priorities will shape how the union advocates at the state level on issues that intersect with public health, food security, and rural social equity.

For Stutsman County farmers and rural households, changes in Farmers Union leadership can influence more than commodity policy. The union’s focus on cooperative models affects local economic resilience, which in turn affects household stability and access to nutritious food. The organization’s training work can expand adult education and workforce development opportunities that help retain young people and support farm safety and mental health awareness. Union advocacy also plays a role in conversations about rural health care funding and services, including support for community clinics and emergency care access.

The selection of delegates from Jamestown and other communities establishes local voices for the union’s coming agenda. Those delegates will help determine policy priorities and the campaigns the union pursues with lawmakers and agencies. For residents who rely on farming incomes, local processing, or seasonal and migrant labor, the union’s policy positions can have direct effects on livelihoods and community wellbeing.

Perdue will now lead the North Dakota Farmers Union as it moves into the next year. Local leaders and county residents will be watching how his cooperative and education background translates into tangible programs and statewide advocacy that address economic and health disparities in rural North Dakota.