We’ve got a lot of initiatives going to help consumers better understand where their food is coming from. I’ve had several discussions lately with people about this. Topics include inter-organizational coordination, competition for funding, differences in approaches and membership. What do you think about all the different groups trying to reach the non-farm public about farming? The more the merrier? A ZimmPoll we conducted had the largest percentage saying there are too many. We’re hearing a lot of talk about unity in agriculture in the face of increasing urbanization and regulation. I’m just wondering if the proliferation of groups attempting to do what appears on the surface to be the same thing sends a different message. I applaud everyone who is trying to tell agriculture’s story. This is not an easy task. Farming is not an easy thing to explain to those who have never been exposed to it. Forget about the complexities of policy and foreign trade. All right, got that out there. Would be interested in your thoughts.
I was prompted to post these questions after receiving an announcement today that the American Farmers for the Advancement of Conservation and Technology has joined with the Alliance to Feed the Future. The Alliance was announced during National Ag Day activities. Their goal is to “help tell the story of modern farming from the heart of the family farmer.”
The Alliance currently has 63 members and continues to grow. All sectors of the food value chain have come together in the alliance – including professional societies, commodity groups, farmer organizations, industry and academia. Membership in the Alliance will help multiply the effects of their individual and joint efforts to tell the true and balanced story of modern food production. The Alliance to Feed the Future website is home to an assortment of resources and information regarding modern food production from farm to fork.
It is great to see so much effort being put into telling the farmer’s story. But collectively, what is the budget of all the groups trying to do this? I know I haven’t mentioned others. You probably know who they are. I think that if all the groups trying to reach the consumer could somehow actually pool their funds and create a coordinated campaign they might just reach the budget of a very large extremist group that wants to end production agriculture. Do I sound pessimistic? Probably. But I think all these efforts need to be done. And beside them we need farmers themselves to do what they can. Let’s all “agvocate.” It’s what we can do regardless what our budget is.
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I agree. It’s important to tell the farmer’s story but the ag industry needs to speak with more of a unified voice. I think this would be more effective in getting our message across.
I agree. It’s important to tell the farmer’s story but the ag industry needs to speak with more of a unified voice. I think this would be more effective in getting our message across.
I really enjoyed your comments, and yes I completely agree. I think the biggest challenge facing agriculture right now comes from within. We desperately need to be able to get together and form a sustainable community ourselves before we can ask the rest of population to listen to us. If we can’t communicate and sympathize with each other how do we expect others understand or care about the challenges facing production agriculture today? Producers make up a very small portion of the population and unless we can get together with a strong, unified voice we are not going to be heard.
I really enjoyed your comments, and yes I completely agree. I think the biggest challenge facing agriculture right now comes from within. We desperately need to be able to get together and form a sustainable community ourselves before we can ask the rest of population to listen to us. If we can’t communicate and sympathize with each other how do we expect others understand or care about the challenges facing production agriculture today? Producers make up a very small portion of the population and unless we can get together with a strong, unified voice we are not going to be heard.
I think US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance is the only effort owned and directed by organizations of farmers and ranchers that has significant dollars (>$8 mil to date) committed.
I think US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance is the only effort owned and directed by organizations of farmers and ranchers that has significant dollars (>$8 mil to date) committed.
Author
Thanks for your comments. You’re right John. USFRA is the organization that has only farmer groups involved right now and with a budget goal that will create a major campaign targeting consumers. I wish it all the success in the world.
Author
Thanks for your comments. You’re right John. USFRA is the organization that has only farmer groups involved right now and with a budget goal that will create a major campaign targeting consumers. I wish it all the success in the world.