Alliance to Guard Agriculture Formed

Today's agriculture community continues to be attacked by a number of anti-agricultural groups. Unfortunately, the majority of the public has become further and further removed from the farm, and they tend to believe the messages offered by the attacking groups.

These attacks have led a number of agricultural organizations to fund individual programs that bolster the image of today's agriculture and enhance public trust in the food supply. While these efforts have been helpful, there is a growing need for all of agriculture to coordinate messages to build consumer trust in today's U.S. food production system and to work to maintain and enhance the freedom of American farmers and ranchers to operate in an economical, sustainable and responsible manner.

Hence, farmer and rancher organizations agreed to form the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance to develop and implement a well-funded, long-term and coordinated public trust campaign for today's American agriculture.

The initial focus of the group will be to increase consumer trust and confident in today's agriculture, to serve as a resource to food companies, to work with health, environmental and dietary organizations to demonstrate the benefits of agricultural production and to increase the role of farmers and ranchers as the voice of animal and crop agriculture.

The American Sheep Industry Association is one of the 23 organizations that have joined the alliance.