Archives West Finding Aid

The Evergreen Local chapter is part of the Oregon-Washington Farmer's Union which, in turn, is a division and an integral administrative subdivision of the Farmer's Educational and Cooperative Union of America, a Texas corporation known as the National Farmer's Union. This union was founded in 1902 in Texas and became a national organization in 1905. It is the smallest and second oldest of all American farm organizations. As of 1985, farm families from 44 states make up its 300,000 members. The union was created by farmers who wished to be unionized, enabling them to be on an equal footing with unionized labor and capital in their commercial and political relations. The union favors initiative, referendum, recall, war referendum, full employment principle, higher minimum wages, broader social security coverage, expanded economic aid abroad, and a stronger United Nations. Also, the union represents the interests of the farming family, and aids the family in developing self-help institutions such as cooperatives.