Spreading the word about American agriculture

Farmers and their families face more questions than ever from a public increasingly removed from farming. Here are some suggestions on how they might answer them.

It’s no secret that more Americans are growing up disconnected from farms – both in distance and general knowledge about agriculture. As a result, consumers now have more questions, and even some concerns, about where their food comes from.

Remember, consumers hear negative things about modern agriculture all the time and don’t often have enough information to tell truth from fiction. A recent National Agriculture Image Survey funded by the checkoff found that adults who live in non-rural areas are more likely to have negative opinions about modern agriculture than people who live in rural areas. So here are some suggestions on things to say if someone sends a question your way:

• Most farms are family farms. Ninety-eight percent of all U.S. farms are owned by individuals, family partnerships or family corporations. (USDA – ERS; ARMS Survey, 2007)
• In 1950, one U.S. farmer fed 30 people. Today, one U.S. farmer feeds 155 people thanks to the use of safe, innovative technologies. (Center for Food Integrity)
• Americans spend only 10 percent of their income on food, less than any other industrialized nation. For example, the British spend 22 percent, the Japanese spend 26 percent, and consumers in India spend up to 51 percent of their income on food. (USDA-ERS)
• U.S. agricultural exports generate more than $100 billion annually in business activity throughout the U.S. economy and provide jobs for nearly 1 million workers. (North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
• Care for the environment remains a priority for America’s farmers and ranchers.  The United States uses about half its land to produce food, animal feed, fiber for our clothing and biofuels for our vehicles.  (USDA-ERS)