MS 481
National Farmers Organization
Records, 1955-[ongoing]

Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

Descriptive summary

creator:

National Farmers Organization

title:

Records

dates:

1955-[ongoing]

extent:

16.9 linear ft.  (13 records center cartons)

collection number:

MS 481

repository:

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

National Farmers Organization Records, MS 481, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Historical note
 

The National Farmers Organization (NFO) was founded in 1955 to combat low prices farmers received from food processors. The NFO argued that farmers made up nine percent of the nation's population but only earned four percent of its income. The original headquarters of the NFO was located in Corning, Iowa.

The early history of the NFO was marked by radicalism; farmers organized withholding actions to increase prices, then staged boycotts and protests that included slaughter of livestock and property damage. The violent aspects of the organization's activities receded by 1979, when its focus turned to collective bargaining for better prices. The NFO, which now has its headquarters in Ames, Iowa, is organized on county, Congressional district, state, and national levels.

 

Collection description
 

The collection (1955-[ongoing]) contains articles of incorporation, by-laws, administrative and subject files (including information on holding actions), convention materials, financial and tax information, publications and brochures, news clippings and press releases, commodity contracts, legal files, and FBI files about the NFO.

The Special Collections Department also holds NFO audiotapes and films.  For additional information about these audiovisual holdings, please contact the Department.

Related materials may be found in MS 258 Vincent Rossiter Papers, MS 588 Charles Walters Papers, and MS 660 Phil Allen - NFO Broadcast Tapes.  The rare books collection in Special Collections also contains books about the NFO as well as NFO publications; these materials may found by searching the library catalog.

 

Organization

The collection is unarranged.

 

 Container list

Box Folder Title Dates
1 1 Articles of incorporation 1956-1969
1 2 By-law changes 1960-1977
1 3 By-laws 1964-1965
1 4 Articles of incorporation amendments 1961
1 5 By-laws and articles of incorporation 1987-1989
1 6 Publications, correspondence, and certificates 1955-1970
1 7 General information 1956
1 8 Correspondence and information 1957-1958
1 9 National legislation 1957-1988
1 10 Telegrams 1958-1959
1 11 Resource material, including "An analysis of the present livestock marketing system" (1961), Congressional Record, and NFO background information 1961-1985
1 12 "A message from your president" 1963
1 13 1964 Democratic Convention 1964
1 14 Testimony 1966-1973
1 15 Milk holding action 1967
1 16 Swift and Company 1963
1 17 Holding action information 1968-1976
1 18 Legislative testimony and statements 1970-1971
1 19 Butz nomination 1971
1 20 State corporate farm laws 1976
1 21 Testimony 1971-1979
1 22 White House 1971-1983
1 23 Correspondence: Dahners/Sinclair 1972
1 24 Lien notice, September 28 1972
1 25 NFO trademark 1972-1973
1 26 Oren Lee Staley 1972-1979
1 27 Proposals for NFO 1973
1 28 Area office management—VeFAC study 1974
1 29 Commodity secretaries—VeFAC program n.d.
1 30 Dues and memberships—VeFAC controls n.d.
1 31 Grain accounting—VeFAC programming n.d.
1 32 Board resolutions 1974
1 33 Minnesota Trust correspondence: Bud Cook 1975-1976
1 34 Declaration of Trust, amended and revised n.d.
1 35 Borden, Inc. 1978
1 36 Certified Grocers of Illinois 1978
1 37 Frederick & Herrud, Inc. 1978
1 38 MBPXL, Inc. 1978
1 39 Spencer Foods 1976
1 40 NFO directors 1978
1 41 Testimony 1978
1 42 Congressional bills 1978-1979
1 43 "A message from your president," also speeches 1978-1979
1 44 Testimony 1978-1979
1 45 Potato Growers of Idaho (bills proposed) 1979
1 46 Testimony 1979-1980
1 47 Personnel functions 1980
1 48 Hertz discount agreement 1980
1 49 Correspondence and agreement: Chuck Lexum Jr. 1981
1 50 Brazil 1981
1 51 Contracts (blank): pork, cattle, milk 1982
1 52 Correspondence and related materials: Washington, D.C. 1989-1990
1 53 Resolutions and brochure 1999, n.d
2 1-2 Blank forms n.d.
2 3 Contracts (blank) 1979
2 4 Dairy forms (blank) n.d.
2 5 Grain forms (blank) n.d.
2 6 Forms (blank) n.d.
2 7 Resolutions 1956-1978
2 8 Convention books/programs 1957-1989, n.d.
2 9 5th Annual convention 1960
2 10 National convention materials 1964-1988
2 11 Annual convention 1965
2 12 NFO National resolutions 1965-1973
2 13 Annual convention address (by Hubert H. Humphrey) 1967
2 14 Conventions 1967-1968
2 15 NFO State resolutions (Illinois) 1968-1988
2 16 Proposed resolutions 1972-1975
2 17 Convention headquarters 1976
2 18 Convention rules 1977
2 19 Convention: NFO Reporter, biographies, and souvenir handbook 1978
2 20 National convention 1983
2 21 National convention 1964
2 22 State ratification tally n.d.
2 23 Convention minutes 1972
2 24 Information put out by '72 Convention group 1972
2 25 National convention news releases 1972
2 26 National convention minutes and hearings 1972
2 27 Convention 1972 and affidavits 1972
2 28-32 '72 Convention Report 1972
2 33 Convention 1972
2 34 '72 Convention Report 1972
2 35 Notification letter sent to county, district, and state, re: directors 1972
2 36 Jack Grimmer: Hearing 1972-1973
2 37 Don Kimball: Hearing 1972
2 38 Don Maskal: Hearing 1972
2 39 John Oster: Hearing 1972
2 40 Bob Speer: Hearing 1972
2 41 Official hearing records 1972
2 42 NFO custodial fund conspiracy (North Dakota) 1972
2 43 Walt Farrar: Hearing 1972
2 44 Charles Walters: Newspaper clipping and response letter 1972-1973
2 45 Hearing Officer 1972
2 46 Charles Walters: Acres U.S.A. correspondence and '72 convention 1973
2 47 Ken Spitzer: '72 controversy (letter regarding operations of NFO) 1972
2 48 Affidavit key list n.d.
2 49 Affidavits: Collective bargaining 1972
2 50 Affidavit #1: Art Phillips (Farrar, Grimmer, Kimball, Moskal, Oster, Speer) 1972
2 51 Affidavit #2: Glen Utley (Farrar, Grimmer, Kimball, Moskal, Oster, Speer) 1972
2 52-53 Affidavit #3-4: Gene Potter (Kimball) 1972
2 54 Affidavit #5: Len Schrade (Kimball) 1972
2 55 Affidavit #6: Bobby Flowers (Kimball, Farrar, Grimmer, Moskal, Speer) 1972
2 56 Affidavit #7: Ron Mattus (Kimball, Grimmer) 1972
2 57 Affidavit #8: Ed Tvrdy (Kimball, Farrar, Grimmer, Moskal, Speer) 1972
2 58 Affidavit #9: Joe Taylor(Kimball, Oster) 1972
2 59-60 Affidavit #10-11: Daniel Nauman 1972
2 61 Affidavit #12: Kenneth Hassenger (Grimmer) 1972
2 62 Affidavit #13: Chris Walker (Farrar) 1972
2 63 Affidavit #14: Bob Bausch (Farrar, Speer) 1972
2 64 Affidavit #15: Neil Morrissey (Farrar, Speer) 1972
2 65 Affidavit #16: Ira Williams (Farrar, Speer) 1972
2 66 Affidavit #17: Harlan Courtney (Farrar, Speer) 1972
2 67 Affidavit #18: Duane Wulfkuhle (Farrar, Speer) 1972
3 1 Affidavit #19: Chris Walker (Speer) 1972
3 2 Affidavit #20: George Anton (Speer) 1972
3 3 Affidavit #21: Laverne Daniels (Oster) 1972
3 4 Affidavit #22: Arlen C. Hanson (Oster) 1972
3 5 Affidavit #23: Wayne E. Kothe (Oster) 1972
3 6 Affidavit #24: Rodney Max Murfield (Oster) 1972
3 7 Affidavit #25: Rodney Lee Spilde (Oster) 1972
3 8 Affidavit #26: Gene Potter (Oster) 1972
3 9 Affidavit #27: Bill Look (Oster) 1972
3 10 Affidavit #28: Mike Summers (Oster) 1972
3 11 Affidavit #29: Bill Beach (Kimball, Farrar, Moskal, Speer) 1972
3 12 Affidavit #30: Bill Hibbert (Kimball, Farrar, Moskal, Speer) 1972
3 13 Affidavit #31: Jim Archibald (Kimball, Farrar, Moskal, Speer) 1972
3 14 Affidavit #32: Bill Sellhorst (Oster) 1972
3 15 Affidavit #33: George Anton (Oster) 1972
3 16 Affidavit #34: Ed Tvrdy (Kimball) 1972
3 17 Cooper Case 1975-1976
3 18 Malcom M. (Bud) Cooper, Meade Co., South Dakota 1975-1976
3 19 Loren Kubes, Lancaster Co., Nebraska 1975-1976
3 20 Kenneth M. Thayer, Lancaster Co., Nebraska 1975-1976
3 21 IRS 1967-1975
3 22 Western Title Insurance Company 1969, 1973
3 23 Taxes and right to do business 1970-1972
3 24 Custodial account 1972
3 25 Bank loans 1972-1973
3 26 Indiana tax matter 1972-1976
3 27 Loan guarantees 1973
3 28 1973 tax report: Extension 1974
3 29 IRS ruling on tax status (revoked) 1975
3 30 Brochures 1963-1984
3 31 Brochures and advertising 1968-1977
3 32 NFO publications 1968-1977
3 33 Brochures 1973
3 34 Handbook and brochures 1973
3 35-36 Brochures 1973-1977
3 37 "Focusing on NFO collective bargaining" 1969
3 38 "NFO commodity gram" (Dairy, feeder, grain, meat) 1971-1974
3 39 "NFO commodity gram" (Grain, dairy, meat, etc.) 1971-1973
3 40 "NFO commodity gram" 1971-1975
3 41-43 NFO County Progress Reporter 1977-1979, n.d.
3 44 "The NFO family farmer" n.d.
3 45-47 "NFO on the move 1971-1978
3 48 Voting record and grass roots in politics 1982
3 49 News clippings 1957-1977
3 50 News articles 1964-1973, n.d.
3 51 News clippings 1964-1978
3 52 News clippings 1964-1985
4 1 News releases 1971-1989
4 2 News releases 1973
4 3 News releases 1977
4 4-5 Publicity 1962-2001
4 6-16 FBI-NFO references 1932-1984
4 17 Master contracts for dry edible beans 1963-1965
4 18 Meat contracts 1963-1969
4 19 Dairy marketing area 1966
4 20-23 Master contracts for milk 1962-1966
5 1-15 Master contracts for milk 1962-1968
5 16 Affidavits: Arkansas 1967
5 17 Affidavits: Colorado 1967
5 18 Affidavits: Georgia 1967
5 19 Affidavits: Idaho 1967
5 20 Affidavits: Illinois 1967
5 21-22 Affidavits: Indiana 1967
5 23-24 Affidavits: Iowa 1967
5 25 Affidavits: Kansas 1967
5 26 Affidavits: Kentucky 1967
5 27 Affidavits: Michigan 1967
5 28-29 Affidavits: Minnesota 1967
6 1-2 Affidavits: Missouri 1967
6 3 Affidavits: Nebraska 1962
6 4 Affidavits: New Jersey 1967
6 5 Affidavits: New York 1967
6 6 Affidavits: North Dakota 1967
6 7 Affidavits: Ohio 1967
6 8 Affidavits: Oklahoma 1967
6 9 Affidavits: Pennsylvania 1967
6 10 Affidavits: South Dakota 1967
6 11 Affidavits: Tennesee 1967
6 12 Affidavits: Wisconsin 1967
6 13 Affidavits: Wyoming 1967
6 14 Correspondence-Lyman S. Hulbert 1959-1962
6 15 Correspondence-Lyman S. Hulbert 1959-1967
6 16 Jerome F. Culler 1961
6 17 Matz v. Outagamie Producers Coop 1962
6 18 Larry Scalise 1962-1971
6 19 Legal cases: Producers Marketing Assoc. v. NFO; H. Kennedy v. Scudder, Harding, Lardner, Lardner, & Robb-Ross Co. 1964-1965
6 20 Investigation of NFO leak (Attorney Hall) 1965
6 21 Legal cases: U.S. v. NFO; Waters v. NFO; Alexander v. NFO; and "Message from your president" 1965-1967
6 22 Glenwood Packing Company 1966-1967
6 23 Hall v. NFO (U.S. Supreme Court) 1967
6 24 Correspondence: Rowley and Scott 1971-1975
6 25-26 Legal finances 1971-1975
6 27 Attorney fees 1972-1975
6 28 Worth Rowley (1 of 3) 1972-1977
7 1-2 Worth Rowley (2-3 of 3) 1972-1977
7 3-5 Attorney fees 1973-1977
7 6 Dairy suit expenses 1975
7 7-21 Attorney fees 1975-1977
7 22 Bennet v. Savannah Cotton and Naval Stores Exchange n.d.
7 23 Marshall Durbin Farms v. NFO ("Broilers suit") 1970
7 24 Beatrice Foods Company 1970, n.d.
7 25 California Milling Corp. v. NFO 1971
7 26 Legal records-miscellaneous 1971-1972
7 27 Lee Sinclair 1971-1977
7 28 Attorney Light-South Dakota 1972
7 29 Dairy lawsuit 1972-1973
7 30 David Trowbridge re: Drish, Zimmerman, and Reinmund 1972-1973
7 31 Riley Creamery case; Lee Sinclair 1972-1975
7 32 Bluff City Cotton v. NFO 1973
7 33 Boaldin v. NFO 1973
7 34 Farm Products International, Inc.: Triticale 1973
7 35 U.S. v. NFO 1973
7 36 Court cases 1973-1974
7 37 Robert H. Kapp; Hogan & Hartson 1973-1974
7 38-39 Strausburger, Price, Kelton, Martin, & Unis 1973-1975
7 40 Foulston, Siefkin, Powers, & Eberhardt (Wichita, Kansas) 1973-1977
7 41 Blackwell, Sanders, Matheny, Weary, & Lombardi 1973-1977
7 42 NFO v. American Grain 1974
7 43 Bryan Barr 1974
7 44 Elmer Carlson 1974
7 45-46 Cook Industries v. NFO 1974
7 47 Iowa Trust; NFO v. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) 1974
7 48 Thomas R. McDade 1974
7 49 Robel Beef Packers, Inc. contract 1974
8 1 NFO Members' Grain Custodial Account, Iowa Trust 1974-1975
8 2 Good Pasture 1974-1976
8 3 Hogan and Hartson/IRS 1974-1976
8 4 NFO Cases and Legal Documents 1974-1978
8 5 Iowa Commerce Commission 1974-1979
8 6 Agri-Seeds Settlement 1975
8 7 Boller Lawsuit 1975
8 8 Coast packing letter from State of Washington 1975
8 9 Ernst & Ernst 1975
8 10 State of Iowa v. NFO—Iowa Consumer Credit Code 1975
8 11 Kenneth Thayer v. NFO 1975-1976
8 12 Asher lawsuit 1975-1977
8 13 NFO v. Coast Trading 1976
8 14 Nebraska Department of Agriculture hearing on grain 1976
8 15 Leroy Gilson, Boise area IRS info 1976
8 16 Attorney General Turner: Iowa case dues 1976
8 17 Iowa and South Dakota v. NFO 1976
8 18 Gallimore lawsuit 1977-1979
8 19 NFO v. Clark 1978
8 20 Albert Brothers v. Scotfield and NFO 1978-1979
8 21 Butler County (Iowa) and Dan Muller 1980
8 22-26 Roland Waters et al v. NFO 1966-1967
8 27-32 NFO v. E & H Grain 1973-1974
8 33-36 Iowa Trust 1973-1977
9 1 Mid-Am 1971-1977
9 2 Townley's Dairy Company v. Associated Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI) 1972
9 3 Billy Evans v. Associated Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI) 1972
9 4 Ewald Brothers, Inc. v. Mid-America Dairymen, etc. 1972
9 5 Iliinois v. Associated Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI) 1972
9 6 Northland Milk and Ice Cream Company v. Mid-America Dairymen, Inc. 1972
9 7 Dairy Distributors, Inc. v. Mid-America Dairymen, Inc. 1972
9 8 Published materials relating to Mid-American Dairymen lawsuit (Time; Farm Journal; annual report) 1973
9 9 Consent decree: Midwest milk monopolization 1974
9 10 All Star Dairy lawsuit 1974-1975
9 11 Irvin Elkin (AMPI President), column on lawsuit 1975
9 12 U.S. v. Associated Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI) 1975-1978
9 13 Beatrice settlement (Midwest milk litigation) 1977
9 14 Associated Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI) Narrative statement of damages n.d.
9 15-16 Worksheets and narrative statements 1969, n.d.
9 17-23 Mid-American Dairymen, Inc. response narratives to NFO statements of fact 1975-1976
9 23-26 Beatrice Foods response narratives to NFO statements of fact 1976
10 1-2 Beatrice Foods response narratives to NFO statements of fact 1976
10 3 Copies of letters sent to Worth Rowley 1968-1974
10 4 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 1973-1974
10 5 SEC v. NFO 1973-1974
10 6 Affidavits: SEC – Oren Lee / Doris 1974
10 7 Correspondence with senators and congressmen 1974
10 8 Indiana securities, SEC 1974
10 9 Hank Libby, SEC 1974
10 10 Michigan complaint 1974
10 11 Minnesota Securities Commission complaint, SEC 1974
10 12 North Dakota complaint, SEC 1974
10 13 Worth Rowley (SEC file) 1974
10 14 Larry Scalise, SEC case 1974
10 15 SEC: Request of document production 1974
10 16 Stipulation, SEC Sept. 18 1974
10 17 Summons and motions to consolidate 1974
10 18 Written materials sent out relating to SEC suit 1974
10 19 SEC: Per Dick Green 1974-1975
10 20 SEC Motions of Judge rulings 1974-1975
10 21 Affidavits filed Staley and Peterson 1975
10 22 Copies of affidavits filed, SEC 1975
10 23 Correspondence, SEC v. NFO 1975
10 24 SEC – Ray Garrett, news clippings 1975
10 25 Second set of interrogatories 1975
10 26 Answers to interrogatories (1st Set), SEC: Filed 1975 1975
10 27 Judges ruling and orders on hearing 1975
10 28 Judge Stuart's ruling on Iowa Trust 1975
10 29 SEC v. NFO: Document request 1975
10 30 SEC v. NFO: Renewal of motion 1975
10 31 SEC's request for hearing and replies 1975
10 32 Subpoenas 1975
10 33 Richard Green 1976-1977
10 34 SEC's letter to Judge Sanders 1976
10 35 Sec v. NFO proposed consent decree 1976-1977
10 36-37 Alexander v. NFO interviews; Beatrice Foods 1968-1993
10 38 Alexander v. NFO 1971
10 39 Alexander v. NFO: Motion for sanctions 1971-1974
10 40 Settlement proposal, Rowley & Scott 1972
10 41-44 Alexander v. NFO 1972
11 1-11 Alexander v. NFO 1972-1975
11 12 "Wright Report"; Alexander v. NFO 1974
11 13 Judge Oliver: Alexander v. NFO 1974
11 14 Alexander v. NFO 1974-1975
11 15 NFO – Alexander pre-trial conference no. 30 1975
11 16 NFO – Alexander legal fees 1977
11 17 County / State / District charters 1975
11 18-22 Dwight Morris 1967-1974
11 23-25 Alexander et. al., vs. NFO et. al., Doris Peterson Deposition Exhibits #1-79 1965-1974
12 1-2 Deposition of Marjorie Wood 1973
12 3-20 Deposition of Oren Lee Staley 1974-1975
13 1 Deposition of Oren Lee Staley 1975
13 2-8 Deposition of Marjorie Wood 1972
13 9-12 Deposition of Lynn Reimund 1973
13 13-15 Deposition of Kenneth Stofferahn 1973
13 16-20 Deposition of Doris Peterson 1974
13 21 Capper-Volstead Act n.d.

14

1-8

NFO County Progress Reporter

1973-1978

15

1

NFO County Progress Reporter

1979

15

2

News, Features, Outlooks

1970

15

3

News, Facts, Outlooks

1987-1990

15

4

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requested documents

1974

15

5

Early images (circa 1950s-1960s) – hogs, milk, offices, people (11- b/w slides)

2000

Map case

C406 D08

Photograph: Annual Convention, Louisville, Kentucky (1- 10x38" b/w)

1969

 
Descriptive summary   |  Administrative information  |  Biographical/Historical note
 Collection description  |  Organization  |  Description of series/container list

Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA 50011
Comments: tzanish@iastate.edu
URL: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manuscripts/MS481.html