Missouri Ag Connection - Conservation Ag Movement Names Board, Releases Reports

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Conservation Ag Movement Names Board, Releases Reports
Missouri Ag Connection - 01/24/2020

Farm Journal's Trust In Food initiative (www.trustinfood.com) announced the Board of Advisers for America's Conservation Ag Movement, a broad national effort to help farmers, ranchers and growers continue their journey to conserve our shared natural resources and promote sustainable food production. Additionally, special annual reports on the state of conservation in agriculture and food production were mailed to nearly 600,000 farmers, ranchers, growers and ag influencers at the beginning of the year.

ACAM is a unique partnership among Farm Journal's Trust In Food initiative, Farm Journal Foundation and a coalition of conservation-focused nonprofits, leading agribusinesses, farmer associations and food companies. It is based in Lenexa, Kan.

This national education and engagement program is designed to more rapidly scale the adoption, documentation and beneficial outcomes of conservation agriculture and amplify, accelerate and give voice to the many conservation agriculture programs and activities underway across the nation in service to America's farmers.

The Board of Advisors includes:

Jay Vroom, owner and consultant, Vroom Leigh Agriculture, McLean, Va.

Dana Bolden, senior vice president external affairs and sustainability, Corteva, Atlanta, Ga.

Hilary Burroughs, director of marketing, Sanderson Farms, Laurel, Miss.

Neil Caskey, vice president communications, National Corn Growers Association, Chesterfield, Mo.

Chris Davison, business sustainability, Syngenta, Washington, D.C.

Pipa Elias, director of agriculture North America, The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Va.

Jim Hansen, associate director, marketing, Valent U.S.A., Walnut Creek, Calif.

Brett Kaysen, assistant vice president, sustainability, National Pork Board, Des Moines, Iowa

Craig LeSchack, director of conservation operations, Ducks Unlimited, Memphis, Tenn.

John Piotti, executive director, American Farmland Trust, Washington, D.C.

"I am honored to work with this diverse and passionate group of industry leaders to drive this movement forward," said Vroom, who was appointed chair. "The rich backgrounds, dedication to conservation and industry influence in this group will help America's Conservation Ag Movement reach every sector of agriculture. We expect this first-of-its-kind initiative to provide new measures of conservation ag outcomes that show how farmers care for the environment and help drive those outcomes to new levels of eco-performance."

In addition to finalizing the board, at the beginning of 2020, Farm Journal published a special issue - its first-ever annual report on conservation in agriculture. Farm Journal's produce-industry publication The Packer also published a special conservation supplement. These publications reach an audience of more than one million in print and digital editions across the value chain. Partnerships with WATT Global Media and Agri-Pulse will expand the report's distribution to poultry and feed sectors and to policymakers and other influencers, respectively.

In 2020, ACAM's work with farmers and ranchers will be supported by hundreds of print pages, TV spots and radio segments featuring conservation news coverage that tells the story of sustainable food production and its positive impact on soil erosion reduction, carbon sequestration and improved water and air quality. The program also includes how-to materials and workbooks, development of peer-to-peer sharing networks and consumer outreach.

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