The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has appointed longtime Minnesota labor activist Jeff Farmer the international's new director of organizing.

Farmer has been the organizing director for Minnesota Teamsters Joint Council 32 the past three years, and previously worked for more than 15 years for AFSCME, the Minnesota AFL-CIO and SEIU Local 113. He also has been active with community partners such as the Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition and the Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network.

Farmer moves to Washington July 14 to begin his new job. 'I'll be out there full time and then some,' he said. 'It's going to be one hell of a challenge, and a daunting task, to say the least.'

But Farmer says he is excited about the opportunity, especially because the Teamsters have established a $15 million organizing fund as part of the union's recent increase in dues.

'We'll have the resources to put major plans in place,' he said. 'We're in a unique position to really take on organizing on a scale never before seen. We have big, big plans.'

A replacement for Farmer in Minnesota has not been selected.

The Minnesota Teamsters executive board is hosting a farewell party for Farmer July 11 beginning at 2:30 p.m. at Nye's Polonaise Restaurant, 112 Hennepin Ave. East, Minneapolis.

This article was written for The Union Advocate newspaper. Used by permission.