About A-FAN
What is the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN)?
A-FAN is a nonprofit group founded by Nebraska farm and commodity organizations to promote and advance agriculture in Nebraska. A-FAN helps farmers and ranchers work through various issues as they modernize or modify their agricultural and livestock operations to ensure economic viability. A-FAN provides an accurate representation of modern agriculture to Nebraskans and the role agriculture and livestock play in Nebraska’s economic and social well being. A-FAN founding partners include the Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Farm Bureau, Nebraska Pork Producers Association, the Nebraska Poultry Industries and the Nebraska Soybean Association.
Why was A-FAN established?
Nebraska is an agriculture state. Cash receipts from agricultural products contributed more than $10 billion to Nebraska’s economy in 2003 and one out of every three Nebraskans is employed in a position that is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture and agribusiness. More than just being an agriculture state, Nebraska is a livestock state. Typically more than half of Nebraska’s agricultural cash receipts come from the livestock sector. While agriculture plays a tremendous part in Nebraska’s economic well being, farmers and ranchers face numerous challenges. Increased state and federal regulation, shrinking margins, fierce competition and more demands from consumers have brought with it a need for farmers and ranchers to change their operations and the way they do business simply to maintain a competitive standard of living.
Why now for A-FAN?
Nebraska’s economy depends on a strong ag sector and vibrant rural communities. Unfortunately, in recent years, farmers and ranchers who have made or attempted to make changes in their operations to keep up with modern challenges and demands have been targeted and subject to intimidation and harassment for their efforts to modernize. Farmers who are subjected to these tactics often times are left feeling overwhelmed, unsure and at a loss as to why they have been treated this way. This harassment has led some farmers to forego potential on-farm income opportunities and further investment in their farming operation simply to avoid these conflicts. This hurts rural economies, rural employment and the rural tax base.
What are A-FAN’s goals?
A-FAN has three primary promotion and education goals: 1) Empowering farmers and ranchers to share accurate information about the importance of food production; 2) Communicate the connection between farm life and Nebraska’s economic and social well being; and 3) Counter misinformation about animal agriculture and food production.
What makes A-FAN different from the founding organizations and other pro-agricultural entities?
Many times farmers and ranchers need farm-specific help in making decisions related to their animal agriculture operations. A-FAN will assist individual farmers in this process in a direct, timely and personal way that currently cannot be fulfilled by existing farm and commodity organizations.
Will A-FAN lobby?
No. A-FAN is not to be a lobbying organization and will not take positions on state or federal public policy issues, testify at hearings, or otherwise engage in any type of lobbying related activities.
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