As more people move from farms to cities, American producers are under increasing environmental pressure. Some pressure is from activists who use fear and misinformation to scare consumers into thinking that some farm products are harmful. Other pressure is from regulators at various agencies who are applying expensive new air and water quality restrictions on farms, based on science that is shaky at best. Some of the "environmental" questions that producers face relate to food safety. Other questions focus on animal welfare, water or air quality concerns. Agribusiness is an important environmental stakeholder, because its new technologies paradoxically reduce environmental impact while raising food safety questions among cautious consumers at the same time. However, producers have few resources to deal with the controversies, which ultimately limit a producer's freedom to raise food and fiber in a way that is both economic and ecologically sound.

To provide farmers with environmental issues support and ensure their freedom to farm, Blue Spring Communications is forming a collaboration of large producers and producer associations. This national network will provide shared communications tools to effectively address environmental opportunities and challenges through a powerful issues-management platform.

Blue Spring Communications' Farm Freedom Program is dedicated to showing American agriculture in a positive light and protecting producer freedom to farm without unfair restrictions.

Farm Freedom Goals

1. Create an umbrella organization of producer associations and large producers to join forces to maximize environmental opportunities for American agriculture.
2. Use shared strategies and communications resources to minimize negative effects of unfair environmental pressure.

Viewpoints

1. American agriculture is a vital national and global resource.
2. Producer freedom is threatened by unfair regulations and inaccurate public perceptions about agriculture, food safety and animal welfare.
3. Producers are taking unprecedented steps to protect the environment while increasing economic productivity at the same time.
4. Modern agricultural technologies increase production while decreasing environmental impact.
5. Irresponsible activists and even some food manufacturers are sometimes using misinformation and fear to place unfair pressure on American producers.
6. World food needs are increasing rapidly. Americans have an unclear view of the global need for food. Modern agricultural technologies are mankind’s best hope of matching food production with demand.

Farm Freedom Member Services: