AFBF website highlights candidates

A website created by the American Farm Bureau Federation offers farmers and ranchers information on the 2016 presidential candidates.

AFBF director of advocacy and political affairs Cody Lyon said the website started as an idea to keep farmers and ranchers informed, with three main purposes in mind. The site aims to provide campaign news, issue briefs on Farm Bureau policy stances, and access to candidates' biographies, official campaign sites and other information.

For example, the website documents candidates' positions on key farming and ranching issues, and describes Farm Bureau policies on those same issues.

"It's really there for anyone to understand more clearly what Farm Bureau believes in, what we want to see from the presidential candidates, and issue briefs that are broken down in a very simple, easy-to-understand way," Lyon said.

Helping farmers and ranchers become informed and engaged during the upcoming election is vital, he said, adding that a unified voice can prove powerful during the election.

"Voting is that very proud civic moment that everyone can feel proud of when they go to the polls and cast a ballot," Lyon said. "We want to make sure that candidates, campaigns, staff or members, understand where Farm Bureau stands on the issues that are impacting farmers and ranchers, rural communities, as well as all of America."

The Farm Bureau election website is available at election16.fb.org.