Observations ... (For Openers).

1 Urban perceptions vs. rural realities, farmers and city-folk--that was the subject of an Ag Day event held in Chicago sponsored by DuPont. It was a nicely run event with great discussions. Two panels, one of producers and the other of mid-size city/farm news editors, exchanged observations about the disconnect between farmers and consumers, and the perceived lack of understanding and appreciation for the business of agriculture. What struck me was the similarity of these discussions to those held 15 to 20 years ago. I'm not sure why the issue hasn't improved. Ag seems to think that consumers don't care and that the urban media doesn't try to get the story right. We explore it further in a couple of articles in this issue. Check out our articles, along with the Ag Day video at www.agday.org, and offer your ideas on how to improve this lack of communication and understanding. Or do you think this issue is blown out of proportion?

2 Does the recently passed farm bill help the problem above, or does it add a new dimension to the lack of understanding and appreciation? Am I the only one glad to see a farm bill passed, but uncomfortable at the same time?

3 Agri Marketing is a trade publication. The purpose of our magazine is to promote this industry, the stakeholders in it, and given an equal choice, choose the `glass half full' side of the story. The same goes for the individual organizations and companies within agriculture. We endorse all--equally and unashamedly--whether they have an ad in the front of the book, the back or not at all. We strive to shine the spotlight around when choosing sources for editorial.

4 In this issue, Agri Marketing highlights some `landmark' research sponsored by members of the APA. It reveals the process by which brands are built and the role that different elements in sales and marketing have in that process. It is important reading, and you can obtain the complete results from sources mentioned in the article.

Have a great summer!