National Corn Growers Association

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance kicked into high gear this spring as a coalition of 45 of the leading national, regional and state farmer-and-rancher organizations have joined together to strengthen the image of and enhance public trust in today’s agriculture. The National Corn Growers Association is one of the founders of USFRA, and NCGA President Bart Schott serves as secretary of the USFRA Board’s Executive Committee.

“It’s great to see the high level of passion and partnership USFRA has inspired in those who have been dreaming about a collaboration like this for years,” Schott said. “This is the first time such a wide range of farmer and rancher groups representing every aspect of American agriculture have worked together at this depth for the common good of our industry. It’s a privilege to be a part of this.”

In in its June 2 meeting in St. Louis, the USFRA Board unanimously approved an aggressive strategic communications plan now underway that will focus on accomplishing the strategic objectives outlined earlier by the alliance. This six-phase plan presents a movement to propel ag forward so that farmers and ranchers are respected as a leading voice in the conversation about the importance of healthy food for everyone.

The communications plan as recommended by the USFRA Communications Advisory Committee and Ketchum, the global PR agency retained by USFRA, includes six phases that cast the program as a movement, not a short-lived campaign. The first phase, now underway, involves farmer and rancher activation -- educating USFRA affiliate members about the importance of the program and getting them engaged.

In addition to the strategic communications plan, USFRA has moved forward in securing high-level agribusiness investment in the program, including John Deere, DuPont/Pioneer, Farm Credit and The Fertilizer Institute. This involvement will help the alliance build a stronger movement and have a greater impact.

“We’ve got a lot of exciting opportunities coming up in the months ahead to not only get our collective voices heard, but to listen and learn about consumer concerns,” Schott said. “Our message is one of continuous improvement and respect for the land, water and air we use, the animals we raise and the people we feed.”