Pasture-Raised Farmers Form Policy Advocacy Network

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

Farmers around the country have formed a new alliance called Farmers for Animals, Communities and the Environment otherwise known as the FACE Ag Network. Founding member Anna Pesek is a small to medium sized livestock producer in Iowa who sells directly to consumers. She says she’s familiar with a lot of other ag organizations out there, but felt there was still a need to represent voices like hers in the national ag policy dialogue.

Pesek… “ I have long been involved in food and ag advocacy and have worked with a lot of different networks across the country, including the National Family Farm Coalition, Family Farm Defenders, and there's a lot of amazing organizations doing amazing work. But we found that specifically in the policy making space, there wasn't a farmer-led group that was led by farmers that are raising animals on pasture that were specifically focused on advocating for policy solutions. There's groups that are, like, focused on that group of farmer, but they're focused on production practices, like the American Pastured Poultry Association. There's places where you can go to exchange that type of knowledge, but there's not a concerted group that's working on advocacy.”

The FACE Ag Network was formed earlier this year and has already grown its membership to include farmers in over 40 states.