American trust in farmers remains strong

American trust in farmers remains strong
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November 13th, 2020 | NAFB News Service

A majority of adults in the U.S. view farmers’ sustainability practices positively, and an overwhelming majority of them trust farmers.

Those findings are the results of a new public opinion poll taken by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The poll found that 58 percent of the respondents are positive about the sustainability practices of America’s farmers, and that agreement comes from a majority of adults across different demographic groups. Almost nine in ten adults (88%) trust U.S. farmers, which is a four percent increase from Farm Bureau’s June polling. That likely comes from evidence that the public recognizes that the food supply chain challenges brought on by COVID-19 were not within the control of farmers and ranchers.

The survey also looked into public attitudes about the environmental sustainability achievements of farmers and ranchers, as well as the future direction for advancing to climate-smart farming. Overall, the public agrees farmers shouldn’t have to bear the financial burden alone. More than eight in ten Americans were impressed to find out that the Environmental Protection Agency and USDA both have data showing that farmers have put 140 million acres of land into conservation programs. “Americans have a high level of trust in farmers, and they understand that we’re committed to protecting the soil, air, and water,” says Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall.

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