USFRA is a newly formed alliance consisting of a wide range of prominent farmer- and rancher-led organizations and agricultural partners. This marks the first time agricultural groups at the national, regional and state levels have collaborated to lead the dialogue and answer Americans' questions about how we raise our food - while being stewards of the environment, responsibly caring for our animals and maintaining strong businesses and communities.
Antibiotic use in farm animals can be a complicated topic. We know there can be a lot of confusion around whether antibiotics are present – or not present - in the meat and milk we consume. Many people are concerned about the risk of creating antibiotic resistance strains of bacteria. They want to know when and why farmers use them when caring for their animals.
The New York Times announced in March a contest on whether it’s ethical to eat meat – calling all carnivores. In conjunction with this contest, we asked those who were planning to submit an essay to share theirs with us. We received more than 20 and here’s your chance to read them.
The Times announced their winner on May 3, and while it wasn’t one of the essays we received, here’s your opportunity to read why it is ethical to eat meat.
We recently hosted an interesting discussion between three farmers – two of whom are brothers – about different farming methods. The brothers, Brandon and Neil Moseley, have different farming styles. One is a conventional farmer and the other a certified naturally-grown farmer. While they each have different opinions about farming and techniques for success, as a group they agree all farming methods must coexist and there’s a place for each management style.
Farmer Meggie Foster and her husband Dallas hosted a group of visitors from China for an official farm tour. The delegates were part of a group of upper management professionals from a pig farm in China and wanted to learn more about how American farmers raised pigs with more modern resources.
Farmer Brian Scott recently blogged about the importance of talking to consumers to listen to their concerns but also to clear up possible misperceptions around how farmers grow and raise food. Check out an excerpt from his blog about how he thinks it’s imperative for farmers do a better job connecting with consumers.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a positive test result on April 24, 2012, as part of its targeted surveillance program to test cattle for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the nation's fourth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy cow from central California. According to USDA, the carcass of the animal is being held under State authority at a rendering facility in California and will be destroyed. It was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health.
Earth Day is always a good time to reflect on how we treat the environment, and the actions and improvements we’re making for the betterment of our planet. Farmers use the land to produce fruits, vegetables, and grains and graze livestock. Because our farmers and ranchers are so closely tied to the earth and its valuable resources, they are continuously looking for new management practices to improve their land, which means so much to them.
Tweet moms hear how their food is grown and raised – from a farmer and rancher
Moms are clearly mindful about what they feed their families, and following March’s Tweet chat, it’s clear they want to hear from farmers and ranchers about how their food is grown and raised. Tweets flooded #FoodD last week as USFRA hosted an online Twitter event – aka a “Tweet Chat” or “Twitter Party” – for moms, farmers and ranchers. Jeff Fowler, a farmer and rancher, was on hand to answer questions and provided insights into how he grows and raises food on his farm in California.
Take a look at some of the key questions and responses moms have regarding how their food is grown and raised.
USFRA Hosts Discussion in Chicago with Food Bloggers Last week, USFRA organized a breakfast discussion in Chicago at a local restaurant with 16 farmers and ranchers from around the country and six local food bloggers. There was no structured presentation, allowing bloggers to eat breakfast with actual farmers and ranchers in a casual setting. While at the table, discussions centered around farmers and ranchers family backgrounds and how their farms or ranches operate. Bloggers also had the opportunity to ask the farmers and rancher their questions.
USFRA believes that farmers and ranchers and our partners must do what is in their power to keep their animals safe and healthy. And when animals are sick or at risk of becoming sick, they should be treated in adherence with evidence based standards of veterinary medicine in ways that don’t stress the animals or the environment and are in the best interest of long-term human health.
Cattleman Ryan Goodman recently attended the Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville and learned about cattle feed efficiency. Take a look at what he learned and what he thinks about defining and measuring efficiency.
Want to read more? Check out Ryan's blog at www.agricultureproud.com
Did you thank a farmer today or have a chance to talk to a farmer? If not, now is the time. This week we celebrated National Ag Day on Thursday, where farmers and ranchers alike come together and celebrate the traditions of farming as well as new technological advancements to help keep our industry moving forward.
Emily Webel gives us a glimpse into life on her grain and cow/calf operation on her blog Confessions of a Farm Wife, while sharing the joys of teaching her girls about farming. One of her recent blog posts talked about taking her kids to see an agricultural exhibit at a children’s museum. Check out what she has to say about the importance of encouraging farm visits by families and making sure young people get the whole story about farming.
To read more, visit her blog at www.webelfamilyfarm.blogspot.com
After Chipotle ran their video during the Grammy Awards a few weeks ago, we saw a lot of chatter online from both consumers and growers about what they liked and disliked about the ad. We posted a blog about the commercial, and believe it doesn’t tell the entire story. Take a look at what one farmer, Crystal Cattle, shared on her blog.
What do you think? Read more of her blog at www.crystalcattle.blogspot.com
Crystal Cattle shares some of her takeaways from the Tomorrow’s Top Producer Conference hosted by Farm Journal. Take a look at some interesting stats from the meeting.
Want to read more? Visit her blog at www.crystalcattle.blogspot.com
Take a look at this blog by a farmer who fled her corporate job to embrace dairy farming. Her most recent post talks about how they handle waste management on her farm.
To read more visit www.truthordairy.blogspot.com
Check out this blog post about a consumer’s questions on how food is grown and raised.
Read the full blog post at www.txagtalks.texasfarmbureau.org
A Texas farmer writes an open letter to consumers wanting to have a conversation about the food they grow and raise. Below is an excerpt from the blog that shares five things farmers are passionate about when it comes to food production.
Read the full blog post at www.tabletop.texasfarmbureau.org
What does music’s biggest night – the Grammys – have to do with today’s agriculture? For many Americans, it was a two-minute, animated Chipotle ad that caught their attention. It caused them to wonder about where their food really comes from. It most likely gave them a poor impression - and a lot of doubts - about the people who grow and raise their food.
USFRA thinks that Americans want and need to hear the whole story. Is it really correct to characterize larger farms as “factory farms” that mistreat animals if they are housed in barns protected from inclement weather? Is it fair to use an animated video with a heartwarming song to try to cast a bad light on conventional farming? Is it right to imply that conventional pig farmers knowingly pollute the environment?
Many consumers ask what the difference is between conventional and organic milk. See what dairy farmer Will Gilmer has to say about both methods of milk production.
Read the story at www.gilmerdairy.blogspot.com
The recent editorial “Feeding the Future” in the Washington Post clearly articulated a major challenge facing us and the future of food while tackling the complicated issue of using certain agricultural techniques as a viable solution. When it comes to their food, consumers are rightfully passionate and they want to know more information about where it comes from and how it was grown or raised. With so much emotion attached to the food we consume, many Americans may adopt a particular stance for or against an issue that may not reflect all of the information or realities of farming and ranching. Many of these food challenges – and the potential solutions - are not black and white; they are incredibly complex and depend upon various companies across the food spectrum working together.
Consumers continue to have important questions and concerns about their food. They want to know “Is the food we’re eating healthy long-term?” and “Is the planet able to sustain the amount of food we’re producing?”. They also want to be sure our farmers and ranchers are feeding their own families the same food they’re growing and raising for Americans.
U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) kicked off The Food Dialogues with the Town Hall in September, and just as consumers are committed to continue asking complex questions about their food, our farmers and ranchers are equally committed to continue listening and addressing their concerns from their own personal perspective and experience. While the dialogue began with our Town Hall, we know open and honest conversations should be ongoing.
Updated on 11/1/11
Consumers are asking us many questions about biotech seeds and traits. They want to know why some farmers may choose to use them and what the long-term implications are not only for our health but also for the farming/ranching industry.
Many people have asked farmers and ranchers what we think about World Food Day, organized by the Food & Agriculture Organization of the U.N. (October 16) and Food Day, sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interests (October 24). In a month focused on food and Food Days, it is essential that farmers and ranchers continue our commitment to listening to Americans and to show our support for producing healthy choices for people everywhere. We can find common ground with many different voices on this purpose – even if we disagree on more granular issues.
For farmers and ranchers, it is clear that a disconnect exists between the American public and the food they serve on their dinner tables. For too long, farmers and ranchers of all types and sizes – conventional, organic, large and small – were, for various reasons, not part of the discussions taking place in Americans’ homes about where their food comes from. We want to do better. We want to continue listening to consumers and engage in open, honest conversations about food.
Since we are not a policy organization, we do not and cannot have an official opinion. Each of our more than 50 affiliates and partners may have their own stance on this issue. Our goal is to help facilitate discussion, highlight key issues and encourage farmers and ranchers to engage in conversation with consumers. Many of the farmers who are members of our affiliates use biotech seeds and traits for good reasons like reducing the amount of water or pesticides they need to use on their crops. Some farmers choose not to use biotech seeds for other reasons.
We encourage more farmers and ranchers who have experience with using biotech seeds and traits to join in the conversation – it seems pretty one-sided right now. Take a look at this story that ran on Bloomberg in June that tries to address questions objectively. Also, BestFoodFacts.org included a month-long series of blog posts and asked several third-party experts and professors for their thoughts on biotech seeds. Read more on what they think.
For farmers and ranchers, The Food Dialogues town halls (September 22, 2011) were an important first step in listening and answering questions about food production. But they were only the beginning. Much more work needs to be done.
For U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) it was the beginning of a long-term commitment to helping consumers understand how their food is grown and raised. It was an acknowledgement of the need to find common ground among diverse voices.
This was originally entitled “Isn’t it time we pull our heads out?” A close runner-up was “Your stubborness and independence may work on the farm – and put you out of business.
On September 22, we’re kicking off a conversation with Americans about how we grow and raise our food. Streamed live from Washington D.C.; New York; Fair Oaks, Indiana; and Davis, California, we’ve invited voices and viewpoints from across the food spectrum to share their opinions. Farmers, ranchers, consumers, students, retailers, media and leaders in business, food and food service will all be welcome to the table.
DECATUR, Ill.-The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance(USFRA) today announced at the Farm Progress Show that Monsanto is joining its movement to answer Americans’ questions about how their food is raised. USFRA is a coalition of more than 50 national, regional and state agricultural groups and their partners, committed to continuously improving how they grow and raise food that provides healthy choices for people everywhere
To: Financial Times Editorial Staff
In response to the August 17 article “Agribusiness battles claims of abuse and unhealthy food,” the United States Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) would like to clarify the aims of our organization and our outreach initiative.
Guess who’s coming to dinner?
About 310 million people, looking for three squares a day, 365 days a year. Nearly a billion meals per day. And that´s just in the United States.
How do you feed so many people, year in, year out, providing them the quality and nutrition they need and the consistent availability they’ve come to expect, no matter where they live?
Here today, gone tomorrow. It´s a common sentiment in a fast-changing world. But while most of us won´t be around a century from now, hundreds of millions of people will live in the United States and will need to be fed. If growth trends continue, it´ll be many more millions than the 310 million who live here now. And there will be less farmland and ranchland available to do it with. That´s why sustainability is so crucial to America´s food industry – and America´s future.
It´s been said that the average American today has a richer, healthier, more varied diet than the wealthiest people enjoyed a century ago. A visit to any supermarket confirms that impression.
The way people shop for food has changed almost as much as the food they shop for. And it continues to evolve. For some people, it´s a case of “back to the future”-- relying on locally sourced products and farmers' markets, or making a daily trip to the grocery, the produce market and the butcher.
LANSING – The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), comprised of prominent national, regional and state agricultural groups and their partners including the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), has announced plans to lead a conversation with Americans, addressing concerns about their food, where it comes from and how it’s raised.
Read the full post at Drovers Cattle Network
Our mission is to relate to consumers; answer their questions; and build trust,” says Bob Stallman, chairman of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance.
View the full post at agprofessional.com
This Week in Louisiana Agriculture’s Hillary Whittaker travels to New Orleans.
It seems like everyone is talking about agriculture and food production these days, except those closest to it – farmers and ranchers. That’s the motivation behind a new initiative the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance announced this week at the Agricultural Media Summit in New Orleans.
When Bob Stallman’s daughter called him a month ago to ask him if drinking milk would be bad for her kids, he knew farmers had an image problem.
By Vicky Boyd, Editor, The Grower
Whether it’s the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list or Michael Pollan’s documentary Food Inc., agriculture is having to increasingly defend itself against widespread public criticism.
Washington–The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, comprised of prominent national, regional and state agricultural groups and their partners, today announced plans to lead a conversation with Americans, addressing concerns about their food, where it comes from and how it’s raised.
Read the full post at Idaho Farm Bureau News
One of our sessions at the Ag Media Summit is titled, “Of course our food is safe,” says modern ag – But is anybody listening? The presentation was made by leadership members of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. The Chairman is Bob Stallman, American Farm Bureau Federation.
President Barack Obama and top Congressional leaders are scheduled to meet again today to discuss a deficit reduction deal, after weekend talks failed to narrow the differences over the size and scope of the package. The president will also hold a news conference at 11 a.m. ET Monday to discuss the status of the debt talks.
The 40-plus ag organizations that make up the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) begin a collective conversation with the public this week to strengthen the image of agriculture and build trust in today’s agricultural best production practices. USFRA Chairman Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, explains why the effort is needed, how much it will cost and, most importantly, how the Alliance will measure success on this week’s Open Mic.
DuPont Joins More than 40 Producer Organizations to Collaborate in Support of Today’s Farmers and Ranchers
WILMINGTON, Del., June 13, 2011 — DuPont today joined an effort to bolster the image of agriculture and enhance public trust in the U.S. food production system. The initiative is led by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), a new initiative represented by more than 40 of the leading farmer- and rancher-led agricultural organizations.
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. – The new U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) moved a giant step forward Thursday in its drive to deliver its pro-production-agriculture message to the American public. Naming PR firm Ketchum as its primary communications agency, USFRA calls the choice “the next strategic step driving the USFRA mission to strengthen the image of agriculture and enhance public trust in today’s best production practices.”
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. – The new U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) moved a giant step forward Thursday in its drive to deliver its pro-production-agriculture message to the American public. Naming PR firm Ketchum as its primary communications agency, USFRA calls the choice “the next strategic step driving the USFRA mission to strengthen the image of agriculture and enhance public trust in today’s best production practices.”
Congratulations to the 2011 National Ag Day Essay Contest Winners!
Two major agricultural companies have joined USFRA in support of the farmers and ranchers representing almost all the major U.S. agricultural commodities.
Are you a farmer or rancher? We would like a moment of your time to complete the survey below: “Bridging the Generations in Food & Agriculture.”
Save the Date!
AgWired’s Chuck Zimmerman got an update on how things are going with the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance from General Manager Hugh Whaley during American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting.
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. – U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) continues to establish itself and build momentum with selection of a general contractor.
The Alliance, currently composed of 23 of the nation’s foremost farmer- and rancher-led agricultural organizations, selected Drake & Company (DrakeCo) to provide association management services.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Today’s agriculture continues to be attacked by a number of different groups. Unfortunately, as the majority of the U.S. public has become further and further removed from the farm, they tend to believe the groups attacking agriculture, according to the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA). This new alliance is comprised of most of the leading national farmer- and rancher-led agricultural organizations.