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Illinois Farm Families commercial to premier during Super Bowl LVII

A series of commercials set to premier during the Super Bowl aims to educate viewers that 96% of Illinois farms are family owned.

New Berlin, Illinois farmer Marty Marr is featured in the campaign. He tells Brownfield research shows consumers believe that more than 50% of farms in the state are corporate owned.

“Farming has definitely changed over the years. It is big business in many ways because there is a lot of capital involvement trying to put a crop in the ground and raise a family. When you see large sheds and machinery around those family farming operations, that is just what it takes to put a crop in the ground.”

Marr says consumers put more trust in family farmers, and the “We Are the 96” campaign is a platform to share their stories.

“We are proud to tell this story. We want everyone to understand what we do, why we are doing it and that we are doing it in the best way of good stewardship that we can.”

The first of five 30-second commercials will air on February 12^th during the first half of Super Bowl LVII in the Champaign, Peoria-Bloomington, Rockford, Springfield, St. Louis and the Quad Cities markets. The remaining messages are set to release intermittently through June of 2023.

The campaign, organized by the Illinois Farm Families Coalition features 25 Illinois family farms and also includes radio, print and social media components.  To learn more visit wearethe96.org.