Farmers, ranchers join to improve consumer confidence in modern agriculture

Representing more than 49 leading American farmer- and rancher-led organizations, the The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance will lead a public movement to address America's concerns about modern agriculture and convey farmers' and ranchers' commitment to continuous improvement and best production practices.
This movement will give farmers and ranchers a voice in traditional and social media conversations about agriculture – where it doesn’t exist now – as well as with key influencers who are shaping the “good food/bad food” debates in popular culture. Farmers and ranchers will ask consumers about their greatest concerns with today’s food production practices and share the agriculture community’s dedication to continuously improving how food is raised in order to provide healthy choices for people everywhere.
The farming and ranching community is encouraged to "raise their voices" and provide input on what they believe Americans should know about where their food comes from.
"No matter the cause, a knowledge and credibility gap has formed between the American people and their food,” said Bob Stallman, chairman of USFRA and president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. "Farmer- and rancher-led organizations have joined forces to create USFRA because it is vital that those closest to the farm work together and lead the conversation about raising food. Our industry is continuously changing – improving how we care for the land, our animals and our communities. Farmers and ranchers want to, and need to, do a better job of answering Americans' questions about their food. With this new movement, we are making a commitment, starting today, to listen to consumers and having vigorous two-way conversations."
In August and September, USFRA will begin reaching out to key influencer audiences through targeted advertising, a new Web presence, top-tier media briefings and a major event in the early fall addressing Americans’ biggest concerns about food production.
"We've allowed a lot of other folks to speak for farmers and ranchers in the past, often inaccurately," said Dale Norton, treasurer of USFRA and board member of the National Pork Board. “It’s time for farmers and ranchers to make their voices heard."