In all areas of the world, the quantity and quality of farm coverage in the media has declined sharply, in some cases to the point of extinction, at a time when major changes are occurring in the industry. As a result of the failure of mainstream media to cover the subject, most urban consumers have no comprehension how a modern North American or European farm functions, or the conditions farmers in the Third World face when competing against them. Consequently, voters cannot make informed decisions on farm policy when they go to the ballot box.