Farmers helped put Donald Trump in the White House, and as you’ll read in our soon-to-be-published September cover story, they remain loyal to their president, albeit with some loss of support due to the trade war.

This observation is not based on right or left wing political propaganda, but on good old fashioned reporting. If you missed it last week, you can read results from our exclusive survey here.

Our world seems caught up in frenzied media reports that tend to lump farmer opinions all into one boat. Some mainstream media write stories saying farmers still love Trump, while others say they don’t; but as we learned, your views are not always so black and white.

We felt it was important to find out how farmers felt about President Trump’s policies nearly two years into his administration. We do three national surveys a year to shed light on farmer management practices and sentiments, all with the same goal: to provide unbiased measurement on key issues impacting your business. We do this as a service to our audience.

This is a hot button issue, as we’ve learned from impassioned readers who call and write to voice their opinions of President Trump, both pro and con. We welcome thoughtful letters, which you can send to me at [email protected]. Please feel free to share with us what you think about the president or any other issue, but in a thoughtful, civil way.

Oftentimes readers get so caught up in their zeal to support or denounce the President, that they “shoot the messenger.” Since taking office, the president has labeled journalists as “enemies of the people.” Folks, we are not the enemy, and frankly, neither is the mainstream media, even brands that seem to have a political bias. Maybe there is some “fake news” out there, but the first amendment guarantees free speech for every American, not just the ones who happen to agree with your political opinion. We trust our readers to have open minds and the ability to judge for themselves who and what to believe.

It is our duty to report both sides of an issue, even the sides you disagree with.

Farm Futures, like most media, is staffed by professional writers and editors schooled in journalism. That means we take very seriously the concepts of free speech, balanced reporting and honest writing. Free speech built this country. We went to war in far off lands to protect it. This is how we keep and build our credibility and trust with our audience.

These core values are just as important to us as your core values are to your business. Thank you for reading.