Farmers and ranchers are dedicated to protecting the natural resources on their land.
American agriculture seeks to get the most out of their livestock and crops while ensuring a bright future for the land, animals and resources entrusted to them. American Farm Bureau Federation President (AFBF) Zippy Duvall said farmers and ranchers are serious about the responsibility of feeding the world, while preserving the environment.
“Farmers have put 140 million acres voluntarily into conservation programs. And then of course, a lot of other techniques are being used like low till or no till, and over half of our corn, cotton, soybean and wheat acres in the United States have been put in those practices which helps conserve or retain carbon in the soil,” Duvall said. “We also have about 200 million acres that has cover crops on it.”
When it comes to livestock, Duvall noted it’s easy to point to misleading statistics about cattle and climate change.
“But here’s the truth, and this is taken directly from EPA and USDA data. Beef cattle production accounts for 2% of all of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. More effective farming methods and the use of new technologies have led to a reduction of the per-unit emissions in cattle,” he said. “Our critics are looking for a simple solution to a complex problem. Adding burdensome regulations that will reduce affordable protein would make food more expensive and worsen food insecurity issues for millions of our families across America.”
To address unfair criticism of American agriculture, Duvall said farmers and ranchers need to continue to share their stories.
“It’s easy to get frustrated when we see agriculture misrepresented in the media, but we must remember that almost 90% of Americans say that they trust farmers and we have a positive story to share with them,” he said. “We can’t fall into the trap of going low even when our critics do so, because it will jeopardize the public’s trust in us. It’s important that we seek opportunities to engage with our neighbors and with the media to help set the tone to ensure agriculture is being portrayed honestly.”