As reported recently in Dairy News Today, a recent consumer research study revealed that 79% of Americans surveyed trust a farmer to “do the right thing” when it comes to the public interest.  The report notes that this makes farmers the most trusted link in the food chain, surpassing grocers, retailers and food manufacturers.  This data flies in the face of the messaging we, as advocates, deal with daily from anti-agriculture activists who portray multi-generational family farmers attempting to grow their business to feed America and the world as “money hungry factory farms.”  It is good to see that this messaging is not gaining traction across the country with “regular people.”  As advocates for our clients in the food industry, we celebrate farmers and their hard work daily, 24/7, to feed the hungry, while incorporating the latest technologies and practices to reduce water use, protect groundwater, preserve soils and reduce the environmental impact of agriculture.  The way forward is through the application of technology and growth, not reversing production models to those of our grandparents.