Choose Clean Water Coalition Recognized for Impactful Video
(ANNAPOLIS, MD)—In recognition for its video supporting the full funding of the Virginia agricultural cost-share program from the Virginia state legislature, the Choose Clean Water Coalition earned the “Gold Winner” status by the Hermes Creative Awards. Hermes Creative Awards recognizes outstanding work in the industry while promoting the philanthropic nature of marketing and communication professionals. Administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, the Hermes Creative 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 a video to urge legislators in Virginia's General Assembly to fund the Virginia Agricultural Cost-Share Program (VACS). Agriculture is the largest source of pollution reaching local streams and the Chesapeake Bay. While many well-operated farms employ sound conservation practices that protect water quality, a lack of funding prevents many farmers from implementing such practices. Consequentially, excess nutrients, sediment, bacteria, and toxins flow into local waterways, including the Chesapeake Bay.
VACS has assisted thousands of farmers in implementing more than 50 different types of best management practices (BMPs) to reduce pollution from reaching Virginia's waterways. These BMPs include stream exclusion systems, which keep livestock out of streams while providing alternative water sources; nutrient management plans, which help ensure farmers use a sustainable amount of fertilizer; riparian buffers; conservation tillage; cover crops; and many other practices essential to protecting our streams, lakes, rivers, and bays.
The video follows the story of different farmers and the many benefits they are witnessing on their land as a result of their implementation of BMPs. In addition to one longer video, the Coalition also produced three shorter videos (Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3).
"Featuring firsthand testimony from authentic Virginia farmers, Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) used these fabulous videos to directly engage and educate members of the public about the intrinsic connection of agriculture and water,” said Pat Calvert, Policy and Campaigns Manager at VCN and Virginia State Lead for the Choose Clean Water Coalition. “The videos were instrumental in guiding lawmakers and their constituents—both urban and rural—toward understanding how it is in their community's own interest that the Virginia General Assembly provide farmers with the tools they need to ensure healthy farms and, in return, healthy water for all Virginians. Since these videos were released, we have since seen significant increases to funding support for farms and agencies who design and implement Bay-saving, on-the-ground conservation actions."
The Coalition is currently working to produce similar videos urging Pennsylvania legislators to create an agricultural cost-share program in the Keystone State like VACS in Virginia.
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Media Contact:
Drew Robinson
443-927-8049
RobinsonAQ@nwf.org