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Lee features in AgForce campaign

16-06-08

AgForce remains the only farm group in Australia undertaking a sustained rural image campaign to engage and communicate with the urban population about how and where food and fibre is produced.
The 'Every Family Needs A Farmer' campaign began in 2006 and is cranking up its third phase, with a television advertisement communicating this year's message, which is that farmers care about the land they use and the communities in which they live.

The campaign features Australian of the Year Lee Kernaghan singing a new bush anthem that conveys in words and pictures how people live and work in rural communities.

Mr Kernaghan said the 'we care about our country' anthem has the goose-bump factor and a great message that will help city people feel good about rural people being on the land, producing food, managing the environment and populating inland Australia.

AgForce chief executive officer, Brett de Hayr, said links between country and city people are weakening because of the increasing urbanisation of our society and the reducing numbers of families in the bush.

"The looming global food shortage, ongoing drought and climate change highlight the need to strengthen links between country and city people, and increase knowledge about where food comes from and how it is produced," Mr de Hayr said.

"From a bush perspective, it is important to build the city-country connection so that consumers understand why the farming sector is important and why the right policies and programs need to be in place to ensure the sector survives for the long-term.

"The Every Family Needs A Farmer campaign reinforces the positive and productive ways rural and regional Queenslanders are caring about our country and using environmentally sustainable production systems to produce food and fibre for the world."

This year the campaign is being undertaken in partnership with the Queensland Government's Blueprint for the Bush and phase three was officially launched by Local Government Minister Warren Pitt at Parliament House last week.

The first phase of the campaign in 2006 featured a farming family showing they are food producers, animal carers, business owners, researchers and environmentalists, while the second phase in 2007 featured Queensland league legend Shane Webcke and carried the 'no farmers no food' message.

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