Welcome to Farm Fresh, Iowa Farm Bureau’s blog about the people who bring you your food, fuel and fiber and the issues they face. With so much information available to consumers today, it can be daunting to separate fact from fiction. It is our hope that this blog can introduce you to the faces behind your food and shed some light on questions you may have about how it is grown and raised and what that means to you.

We also hope that this new blog will help readers gain a better understanding of our organization, the Iowa Farm Bureau. We are farmers, sure; but we’re also you; teachers, bankers, accountants, artists, parents, grandparents, caretakers of people, animal and land. We are 153,000 member families strong and growing. We have members from every corner of Iowa who are working together to help farmers and rural communities prosper, improve the quality of life for all Iowans, and supporting our youth.

Several members from the Iowa Farm Bureau staff will contribute to this blog and will write about a variety of subjects. You’ll find that we are passionate about our support for farmers, Iowa’s families, how our food is grown and raised, and the future of our state.

From time to time we’ll also feature guest bloggers to bring their perspective to Farm Fresh. We’ll also provide links to other blogs that can help provide more information and viewpoints. Afterall, food and fuel are complex issues and the way in which they are produced continues to evolve. And we welcome your comments about what you read here, so we can help unravel the complexities surrounding agriculture today.

There are certain ground rules that will be followed on Farm Fresh and you should read our comments policy if you’re interested in an interactive dialogue. We’ll do the best we can to talk openly and to the best of our knowledge. And, just as agriculture evolves, so will this blog, so keep that in mind when you read about the lives of people who touch you indirectly every day.