Public Justice representative responds to Farm World item

In response to Steve Dittmer’s comments about Public Justice and R-CALF USA in a recent article in Farm World (Groups' beef breaks into public view amid checkoff allegations, March 7 issue), Public Justice Staff Attorney David Muraskin had this to say:

“The attacks on Public Justice quoted in last week’s article rely on misinformation and misleading arguments about who we are, what we do and what we believe in. These attacks are the epitome of fake news.

“Here’s what Public Justice is: A legal organization that believes responsible agricultural practices – including responsible animal agriculture – is good for our country, our economy and our families. We’re proud to represent clients like R-CALF because we agree that transparency, responsibility and ethical practices result in a better and safer food supply for everyone. We believe America’s independent ranchers and farmers deserve a fair shake and an equal playing ground and that our food supply, our governmental policies and our ethical priorities shouldn’t be controlled by huge multinational corporations that are threatening to end American agriculture as generations of Americans have known it.

“And here’s what we’re not: Public Justice has never been funded by the Humane Society of the United States, despite what the attacks on us would like the public to believe. We’re not in the pockets of the HSUS, big corporations or factory farm lobbyists and we’re not opposed to animal agriculture when it is practiced responsibly and by ranchers who are committed to both a high-quality product and a high-quality process. We take cases based on our principles, not on profits, and we rely on the law and the facts - something our attackers appear to have little interest in – to make U.S. agriculture a system that farmers can believe in, consumers can have trust in, and we all can take pride in.

“That’s what we work for every day, and it’s the truth Big Ag and their lobbyists desperately don’t want the public to know.”

National Agriculture Day celebrates farm production

March 20 is National Agriculture Day – a day designated each year by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA) to celebrate the accomplishments of agriculture. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) joins the council in thanking American agricultural producers, especially in Indiana, for their contributions to the nation’s outstanding quality of life.

This year’s theme, Agriculture: Food for Life, spotlights the hard work of American farmers, ranchers and foresters who diligently work to provide food, fiber and more to the United States and countries around the world. To ensure a prosperous future for American agriculture, FSA provides continuous support to agriculturalists across the country. 

FSA is rural America’s engine for economic growth, job creation and development, offering local service to millions of rural producers. In fiscal year 2017, USDA Farm Loan Programs provided $6 billion in support to producers across America, the second highest total in FSA history. FSA also distributed $1.6 billion in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) payments to over 375,000 Americans to improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and increase wildlife habitat.

For agricultural producers who suffered market downturns in 2016, USDA is issuing approximately $8 billion in payments under the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Programs. USDA also continues to provide extensive assistance in response to natural disasters throughout the country, including last year’s hurricanes in Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, drought in the northern high plains, wildfires in the west and central plains, floods, tornados, freezes and other catastrophic weather events.

To support beginning farmers and ranchers, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue signed a Memorandum of Understanding with officials from SCORE, the nation’s largest volunteer network of expert business mentors, to support new and beginning farmers. The agreement provides new help and resources for beginning farmers, ranchers, veterans, women, socially disadvantaged Americans and others, providing new tools to help them both grow and thrive in agribusiness.

I am honored to administer programs that enable our producers to manage their risks when the agriculture industry faces hardship. On behalf of the Farm Service Agency here in Indiana, I would like to thank our agricultural producers for continuing to feed our nation and the world.

For more information about FSA programs and services, visit www.fsa.usda.gov