Farm Policy Facts, a diverse coalition of agricultural organizations dedicating to raising awareness about the important role agriculture plays in our economic recovery and national security, today launched a new ad campaign, “Real Farms, Real Families.”
The ad campaign, which will run during the upcoming Congressional Farm Bill negotiations, will feature real photos taken by farmers and farming advocates illustrating what rural America means to them.
The first advertisement, showcasing a photo taken by Janelle Seedall of Bonneville County, Idaho, debuted today in Roll Call. The photograph is an image of Seedall’s farm taken through the window of her family’s farm vehicle.
“This particular picture was taken soon after we built our home … the piece of land is very dear to us as I know many family farmers understand,” Seedall told Farm Policy Facts when submitting her photo for consideration.
The second advertisement will appear in The National Journal on Thursday. This advertisement will feature a stormy farm horizon shot by Terry O’Donnell that he entitled “Heartland.” The image was taken by O’Donnell during a trip to Iowa.
Said O’Donnell of the photograph: “I photographed for almost an hour, with the tractor and farmer slowly working their way back and forth across the horizon. … At one time the tractor and worker disappeared altogether, and then a pickup truck pulled up beside me, offering help if needed. It turned out to be the farmer himself. After seeing me parked for so long, he thought my car had broken down and was offering help.”
Advertisements featuring these photographs and additional work by Joan Classen (Ayr, Neb.), Kayla Ferris (Dalhart, Texas) and Becky Holmes (Traverse City, MI) are also slated to appear in the Washington Post, The Hill, Financial Times and online at www.thehill.com and http://www.hagstromreport.com.
“These are not actors—they’re real farmers and farm families with important stories to tell,” said former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest, who works with the coalition. “We hope that these stories will serve as a reminder of the importance of preserving strong farm policies, not just for these families, but for all of us.
A full compilation of the advertisements will be available on www.farmpolicyfacts.org following the campaign.