The New York Animal Agriculture Coalition, a non-profit organization, is launching a statewide educational campaign to address misconceptions and promote positive messages about dairy farming. “With the rise of food safety scares and increasing social awareness, consumers are increasingly concerned about how their food is produced. Fewer people know a farmer today than in past generations,” said Julie Berry, New York Animal Agriculture Coalition Outreach Coordinator. “Because many consumers have lost the human connection to how our food and fiber is grown, we believe it is essential to share the care, commitment and ethical responsibility that farmers feel toward their land and their animals,” Berry said. “This campaign was created by and features farmers who want to dispel myths and tell the story of modern agriculture,” Berry said. The consumer outreach campaign includes billboards along the Finger Lakes corridor in the Auburn, Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca and Rochester markets, and north to Watertown and Canton. The campaign includes five billboards with visual graphics and positive messages about farmers and farming practices. The messages include the following: • Dairy Farmers Love Feeding Families. We are dedicated to providing you with fresh, healthy milk. • Dairy Farmers Love the Land. We practice sustainable farming for a cleaner, greener New York. • Dairy Farmers Love Happy Cows. We know that the healthiest cows make the healthiest milk. • Dairy Farmers Love Strong Communities. We create jobs and drive growth in our local economies. • Dairy Farmers Love Family Tradition. Ninety nine percent of New York dairies are family-owned. The television announcements tell the story of the care and concern that modern farmers have for their animals and the land. The announcements feature farmers speaking from the heart about animal agriculture, specifically dairy farms. The New York Animal Agriculture Coalition is a farmer-founded and funded organization that exists to reconnect the public with animal agriculture by facilitating media engagement, public education and interaction between industry stakeholders. Among the beliefs shared by members of this organization are that farmers are ethically responsible to care for their animals and the land, and that farms of all sizes contribute to the local economy. Founding farmer organizations include New York Farm Bureau, Northeast Dairy Producers Association and Cayuga Marketing. Visit www.farmskeepnygreen.org for more information or to view the campaign materials and messages.
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