Pennsylvania Farmers Highlighted in Award-Winning Videos Advocating for Clean Water Investments

Aug 2

(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—In recognition for its videos encouraging the Pennsylvania state legislature to create an agricultural cost-share program, the Choose Clean Water Coalition earned the "Gold Winner" status by the Viddy Awards. One of the largest competitions in film and video, the Viddy Awards honors creative excellence in the rapidly evolving digital world of moving pictures. Administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, the Viddy Awards are judged by industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

The Choose Clean Water Coalition, a collection of more than 250 groups advocating for clean rivers and streams in all communities in the Chesapeake Bay region, produced two videos urging Pennsylvania's state legislators to create an agricultural cost-share program. Agriculture is the largest source of pollution for Pennsylvania's waterways. While farmers throughout Pennsylvania employ sound conservation practices that protect water quality, a lack of funding prevents many farmers from implementing such practices. These practices include installing fencing to keep livestock out of waterways, properly storing manure, planting streamside buffers, and many more. Without these practices on the ground, excess nutrients, sediment, bacteria, and toxins enter local waterways and eventually reach the Chesapeake Bay.

The videos feature two Pennsylvania farmers sharing their motivation for implementing conservation practices on their farms and the many benefits they are witnessing on their land. They also underscore the value a state agricultural cost-share program would provide to not only their farms, but also the local waterways and economy.

"Featuring firsthand testimony from Pennsylvanian farmers, PennFuture is using these well-produced videos to directly engage and educate legislators about the intrinsic connection of agriculture and water. The videos make a compelling case telling the farmers' own stories in their own words on why Pennsylvania must increase investments in clean water," said Renee Reber, Watershed Advocacy Campaign Manager at PennFuture and Pennsylvania State Lead for the Choose Clean Water Coalition. Added Ezra Thrush, Senior Director of Government Affairs at PennFuture, "These videos are instrumental in guiding lawmakers and their constituents—both urban and rural—toward understanding how it is in their community's own interest that the Pennsylvania General Assembly provide farmers with the funding they need to ensure healthy farms and, in return, healthy water for all Pennsylvanians. We will continue to show these award-winning videos to legislators and decision-makers throughout the Keystone State to encourage them to invest in these on-the-ground conservation actions that benefit Pennsylvania's farmers, local economies, and waterways."

To learn more and watch the videos, visit www.choosecleanwater.org/keystone-farmers.

You can also watch the videos here: