NFO representatives at a press conference held on October 16, 1963.

NFO press conference in Melrose

At a press conference held on October 16, 1963, at Melrose High School, Oren Lee Staley, NFO president; Msgr. E.W. O’Rourke, director of Catholic Rural Life Conference; Rev.Arnold Salchert, Mankato; and Andrew Francis Julig, pastor of St. Mary’s parish, Melrose (left to right) answered questions before a rally supporting organizing farmers in order to compete in the marketplace.

Black and white photograph of NFO farmers and creamery employees ride a bulk truck out to milk dumping site on the Martin Lampi farm near Annandale on March 7, 1963.

NFO farmers and creamery employees

NFO farmers and creamery employees ride a bulk truck to a milk dumping site on the Martin Lampi farm near Annandale on March 7, 1963.

Black and white photograph of milk is dumped ankle deep from a 1,500-gallon bulk NFO truck on the Martin Lampi farm field near Annandale, March 7, 1963.

NFO milk-dumping action in Annandale

Milk is dumped ankle deep from a 1,500-gallon bulk NFO truck on the Martin Lampi farm field near Annandale, March 7, 1963.

Black and white photograph of a crowd of more than a thousand people gathered on March 7, 1963, in front of the Albion French Lake Creamery.

NFO meeting

A crowd of more than a thousand people gathered on March 7, 1963, in front of the Albion French Lake Creamery, five miles southwest of Annandale, to listen to NFO (National Farm Organization) president Oren Lee Staley express gratitude to supporters and warn of a fight against those who did not support the NFO.

Black and white photograph of owners of a family farm in Maple Plain pose with their animals, October 10, 1955.

Maple Plain farm family

Owners of a family farm in Maple Plain pose with their animals, October 10, 1955.

NFO Holding Actions in Minnesota

Minnesota farmers were active in building the National Farmers Organization (NFO), a populist farm group dedicated to strengthening family farmers’ economic well-being. Unlike other farm groups on both the right (the Farm Bureau) and the left (the Farmers’ Union), the NFO during the 1960s focused on direct economic action.

Black and white photograph of Mexican American migrant farm workers harvesting asparagus near Owatonna, ca. 1955.

Mexican American workers in Owatonna

Mexican American migrant farm workers harvesting asparagus near Owatonna, ca.1955.

Black and white photograph of a Sugar beet worker near Fisher, Minnesota, photographed by Russell Lee in October 1937.

Sugar beet worker

Sugar beet worker near Fisher, Minnesota, 1937. Photographed by Russell Lee.

Color image of the second floor landing of the James J. Hill House, 2008

Second floor landing of the James J. Hill House

Second floor landing of the James J. Hill House, 2008. The image was originally retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/minnesotahistoricalsociety/2278987639/in/set-72157603950257241. As of March 3, 2019, the page is no longer maintained.

Color image of a wooden ballot box with hinged lid containing forty-two marbles and twelve black plastic cubes. Used by the Minnesota Grange.

Minnesota Grange ballot box

Wooden ballot box with hinged lid containing forty-two marbles and twelve black plastic cubes. Used by the Minnesota Grange.

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