Big Agriculture, Cattle Industry Players Form Potent New Group to Burnish Media Image, Influence Next Farm Bill
EINNEWS, November 23---The largest agricultural groups in the U.S. representing big agriculture and ranching have banded together in one super group to push back against what it sees as "misrepresentation" of their industries.
The move comes as agriculture is reeling from a rash of food safety recalls and other bad publicity on the one hand, and views with concern likely efforts to target agricultural subsidies in the budget conscious next Congress.
The new group will be known as the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance and will be headed by the current president of the American Farm Bureau, Bob Stallman.
"It's been increasingly apparent that there are several agricultural programs that have been created to address misinformation and misconceptions about agricultural practices and our food supply," said Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of United Fresh Produce Association, one of the group's charter members.
To advance a pro-ag industry message, "This new alliance will draw upon the strength of many parts of our nation's agricultural industry and coordinate communication programs in a more focused and strategic manner," he said.
Stenzel did not name any of the groups that he considered part of the misrepresentation effort.
In practical terms the alliance will evolve a coordinated effort in both the media and in Congress to burnish agriculture's image and to lean more heavily on Congress as it ramps up to consider the next five year farm bill.
The industry is confronted with at least 15 new members of the House Agriculture Committee, many of whom are bent to cutting tens of billions from the federal budget, and a new Senate Agriculture Chairman, Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, who has been an advocate for food-related interests such as healthy food programs, foods stamps and environmentally conscious land use.
The alliance consists of the following organizations: American Egg Board, American Farm Bureau Federation, American National CattleWomen, American Sheep Industry, American Soybean Association, American Sugar Alliance, Beef Checkoff, Federation of State Beef Councils, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Cattlemen's Beef Association. and National Cotton Council.
The group also includes the National Corn Growers Association, National Milk Producers Federation, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, U.S. Grains Council, United Egg Producers, United Fresh Produce Association, United Soybean Board, U.S. Soybean Federation and
Western Growers.
Missing from the list are more progressive farmer and rancher organizations such as the National Farmers Union and the National Farm Organization.
For more agriculture news, visit Agriculture Industry Today (http://agriculture.einnews.com), a agriculture media monitoring service from EIN News.
The move comes as agriculture is reeling from a rash of food safety recalls and other bad publicity on the one hand, and views with concern likely efforts to target agricultural subsidies in the budget conscious next Congress.
The new group will be known as the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance and will be headed by the current president of the American Farm Bureau, Bob Stallman.
"It's been increasingly apparent that there are several agricultural programs that have been created to address misinformation and misconceptions about agricultural practices and our food supply," said Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of United Fresh Produce Association, one of the group's charter members.
To advance a pro-ag industry message, "This new alliance will draw upon the strength of many parts of our nation's agricultural industry and coordinate communication programs in a more focused and strategic manner," he said.
Stenzel did not name any of the groups that he considered part of the misrepresentation effort.
In practical terms the alliance will evolve a coordinated effort in both the media and in Congress to burnish agriculture's image and to lean more heavily on Congress as it ramps up to consider the next five year farm bill.
The industry is confronted with at least 15 new members of the House Agriculture Committee, many of whom are bent to cutting tens of billions from the federal budget, and a new Senate Agriculture Chairman, Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, who has been an advocate for food-related interests such as healthy food programs, foods stamps and environmentally conscious land use.
The alliance consists of the following organizations: American Egg Board, American Farm Bureau Federation, American National CattleWomen, American Sheep Industry, American Soybean Association, American Sugar Alliance, Beef Checkoff, Federation of State Beef Councils, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Cattlemen's Beef Association. and National Cotton Council.
The group also includes the National Corn Growers Association, National Milk Producers Federation, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, U.S. Grains Council, United Egg Producers, United Fresh Produce Association, United Soybean Board, U.S. Soybean Federation and
Western Growers.
Missing from the list are more progressive farmer and rancher organizations such as the National Farmers Union and the National Farm Organization.
For more agriculture news, visit Agriculture Industry Today (http://agriculture.einnews.com), a agriculture media monitoring service from EIN News.
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