AgChat session 6/01/2010

Question 1:

What is your favorite farm festival/ag event? Why?

Question 2:

What have been some really great consumer engaging agriculture exhibits at state/county fairs?

Question 3:

How can we attract non-farm folks to ag events without being too ‘hokey’ or ‘folksy’?

Question 4:

What should the No. 1 message (or takeaway) be for non-farm attendees at a farm- or ag-related event? Why?

Question 5:

How do you measure event participation? How do you follow up on leads?

Question 6:

Connection & impressions are key with public. How do you do this in only 5 minutes or less at festival?

Question 7:

What will you personally do to engage the non-ag friends in get-togethers and BBQs this summer?

Question 8:

(a fun one!) What is the wackiest food you have eaten at a fair?

Question 9:

What is the one executable idea you’ll be working on from tonight’s #agchat

Thanks to Truffle Media for archiving this
week’s chat

AgChat session 5/25/2010

Question 1:

Is it possible for diverse agriculture groups to come together when philosophies are different/opposed?

Question 2:

Why is it hard for agriculture to set aside parochial interests & cooperate on issues of mutual interest/threat?

Question 3:

What causes each segment of #ag the feeling of ‘being threatened’ by other segments?

Question 4:

How can a bridge be built between ‘major crops & livestock’ & ‘specialty crops & livestock?’

Question 5:

What common challenges do conventional, organic & natural production share?

Question 6:

What common successes do conventional, organic & natural production share?

Question 7:

What are 2 issues that all of ag can & should come together & work on?

Question 8:

What are 2 projects that #ag can work together on to positively engage consumers?

Question 9:

What are 2 principles that should be followed by all involved in ag to prevent ‘demonization’ of others?

Question 10:

How can we increase the involvement of all ag producers in #agchat to create better cohesion?

Question 11:

How do you see the #AgChat Foundation serving to meet the needs of a diverse #ag community?

Thanks to Truffle Media for archiving this
week’s chat

Foodchat session 5/18/2010

Question 1:

What steps do food producers take to reduce air, land, and water pollution?

Question 2:

What are the biggest concerns moms have about how their food is grown/raised?

Question 3:

As food producers, how do you buck trend that all parents want a ‘quick’ meal that comes from can or package?

Question 4:

What do moms/consumers want to see/learn when they connect with me (a cattle rancher mom)? How do I engage you?

Question 5:

When you see ‘factory farm’, do you cringe? Are you aware of family trying to make a living off that farm?

Question 6:

How can farmers & ranchers get their blogs read by more than just ag folks?

Question 7:

What are the biggest misperceptions farmer see about food that they would like to help consumers understand?

Question 8:

Are moms and consumers interested in a positive dialog with food manufacturers & others in food chain?

Question 9:

What’s the one executable idea you learned during #foodchat that you’ll act upon this week?

Thanks to Truffle Media for archiving this
week’s chat

Agchat session 5/4/2010

Question 1:

What’s the effect of diminishing funding on agricultural education programs at the collegiate and post-graduate levels?

Question 2:

What ways can producers promote agricultural literacy in their area?

Question 3:

Do you think agricultural education should be apart of the course requirements in high school for public school education?

Question 4:

What is the biggest road block to increasing agricultural education in schools? And what are your ideas for overcoming this?

Question 5:

How do we convince parents & counselors that agriculture is successful career path, hence the need for kids to take agricultural education?

Question 6:

What should universities be doing differently to prep high school agriculture instructors to be more effective & better agvocates?

Question 7:

How do farmers start a conversation with schools about getting accurate ag literacy in current curriculum?

Question 8:

What are good children’s books about agriculture that are accurate & not overly simplified? Libraries can be ally

Question 9:

Does anybody have a list of farmers willing to host farm tours for youth organizations, others?

Question 10:

What agricultural education topics have you found to be most interesting to kids?

Question 11:

Are there any recommended online ag courses?

Question 12:

What’s the one executable idea you’ve learned tonight that you can apply?

Thanks to Truffle Media for archiving this
week’s chat

Agchat session 4/27/2010

Question 1:

Do you get meat from a local processor or just a specialty butcher who buys wholesale and sells retail? Or both?

Question 2:

Aside from regulations, what are some other challenges facing small processors to develop successful businesses?

Question 3:

Does enough science enter the equation when it comes to meat and other food regulations?

Question 4:

What do processors think about biotech and different certifications like organic/natural?

Question 5:

What do you like or dislike about your meat processor?

Question 6:

Do producers take processors for granted? How can farmers help them (processors) stay in business?

Question 7:

How do you deal with customers when they accuse you of giving them wrong meat or keeping some of it?

Question 8:

Do small processers charge too little or too much? Survey: what are people paying per pound for processing?

Question 9:

Do you think national or state livestock organizations support alternative markets and the processors that serve them?

Question 10:

What is one executable idea or action that has resulted from tonight’s chat?

Question 11:

Variety?

Question 12:

What are the regulations or limiting factors that are a challenge to small processors?

Question 13:

What legislation has helped or hurt small processors

Question 14:

How do processors deal with offal and other waste given water/environmental regulations AND FDA regulations?

Thanks to Truffle Media for archiving this
week’s chat