Several Farmers Union leaders had an opportunity to have an audience with POPE Francis and meet with some Cardinals as well as with rural Italian groups recently. South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke was one of those. He says it was a great chance to talk not only about spiritual things but also about family farming and their care for the land and water.

Sombke says the POPE and Cardinals and Italian farm groups all have the same concerns with the type of farming that’s being done globally.  He says his group was invited back to Italy for a symposium later this summer.

Sombke says everything from family farming to land and conservation will be part of the discussion this summer in Milan.