Leveraging the spirit of agvocacy; it’s bigger than you!

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Leveraging the spirit of agvocacy; it’s bigger than you!

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

How many voices in the conversation?

The last month has been spent on leveraging efforts to connect farm and food through the AgChat Foundation’s Agvocacy 2.0 Conference. 115 farmers, ranchers and ag professionals from the U.S. and Canada were invited to take part in ACFC11 at the end of August. Not a huge number. But I figure they each are capable of reaching at least 1,000 people with their own story. Which means the reach will likely be at least 115,000 – far more than any singular voice (unless you sing or dance, which I don’t).

One such case – a small producer and processor in Kentucky. We asked Amy Sipes to be a part of ACFC11 panel on how to reach beyond agriculture. She expressed a great deal of concern about having to speak in front of people – many can relate to this fear. But she really wanted to help other agvocates, so she took the risk (with a few promises on my part). I was so proud of her as a very well-spoken, intelligent woman stood on stage. She brought wonderful authenticity and communicated so effectively from both a processor’s and producer’s viewpoint. I didn’t ask her, but am certain that her presentation would never had happened without the confidence social media has given her. That’s the power of the community in action. Watch her and see what you think…I KNOW she touched a lot of hearts that day in Nashville (and you might be surprised at what she has to say).

If you want more, you can follow Amy on Twitter – and get some humor in the mix. Another person who always brings levity to any conversation is the CNN-famous Steve Tucker from the middle-of-nowhere Nebraska. After hundreds of conversations, I finally met Tykerman1 (and hugged him instead of shaking his hand). A few months ago, I noticed he was in NYC and wondered what a farmer was doing there and tweeting about Central Park when he should have been in the field. As you can see in this clip, he apparently was the comedian of the New York 140 Conference - and did an incredible job of bringing agriculture top-of-mind in a very personable way.

There were many highlights from ACFC11 – from having a refreshing few minutes sitting with a newer agvocate to teach him Twitter (shout out to @SDgriller) to laughing with friends while listening to nails-on-the-chalkboard music in the evening hours. One highlight was the panel of mom bloggers we brought in; these ladies really cemented the necessity of the conversation – and the difficulty agriculture has in hearing “outside” perspectives without getting defensive. Another – and the most meaningful time I spent at the conference – was a small group discussion on how to lead people to social media. We went well beyond the allotted time, simply talking and exchanging ideas about the challenges of getting the hard-headed ag community to understand this “new” tool. It was a great reminder of the spirit of agvocacy and the diverse interests we have in agriculture – and the power of us coming together!

Thanks to Amanda Sollman, Kathy Swift, John Blue, Drew Bender, Jeff Fowle, Ryan Weeks, Mace Thornton, Dan Toland & Chris Raines (not pictured) for serving on the Training Committee.

Hundreds of volunteer hours made that happen…a training committee that planned the entire conference virtually. You can see we like to have a bit of fun – but I hope those involved will take a moment to thank them for all of the time and talent they invested. Over 25 speakers and moderators volunteered their time and talent to deliver best-in-the business content and many others contributed so graciously.

In the last decade, my role in agricultural advocacy has changed from being in front of the pack to trying to “herd” agricultural advocates in the same general direction. This conference was a good reminder of that; empowering people with the right tools and engaging a community is so much bigger than any one individual.

It’s exciting to see agvocates come into their own, step out of their comfort zone, find a place they can really make an impact – and then help others do the same. That leads to more people talking about food and farm – and everything in between – which is a far larger conversation than I could have accomplished. How are you leveraging your efforts?

Tags: ACFC11, Advocacy, AgChat Foundation, agricutlure, Agvocacy 2.0 Conference, agvocate, farm, Food
Posted in Agriculture, Farmer, Food, Moms, Motivation, Social Media, Technology | 4 Comments »

A Dirty Dozen: Agvocacy in Action

Monday, August 1st, 2011

We started our 10 year anniversary with a challenge: pick an agvocacy idea to multiply your voice tenfold. Leveraging voices between the farm gate and consumer plate is the goal of 10x Connect, so we’re providing a “dirty dozen” of our most popular blog posts to provide you food for thought.

The Tears I’ve Shed…Animal Abuse
An emotional response to another animal rights activist video. A must read for anyone concerned about dairy farmers abusing calves. Michele offers a personal glimpse of how food producers feel watching these videos and illustrates the misrepresentation by comparing prostitutes to farmers.

Farm and Ranch Blogs
Our collection of farm & ranch blogs from across the United States, Canada and several countries around the world continues to be a popular destination for people searching for food, farm and ag information. Click on the region links to see blogs from specific states.

What Shape is Your Food Plate?
Have you considered ways for all sides of our food system to connect equally, whether it’s the farmer, scientist, nutrition expert or consumer? The circular food plate gives people the opportunity to reach across, shake hands, and find common interests. MPK points to science, accuracy and credibility as hot buttons with food producers, dietitians and scientists that can help them work together to educate people about food. Research shows that the less people know, the more afraid they’re likely to be.

: Grab an idea from this dozen & cook it up to your own tastes.

I eat. You farm. So what?
A farmer walks into a suburban grocery store and talks with a food consumer. Read here for a conversation on hormones, pesticides, animal abuse, subsidies, biotechnology where there’s a connection made between two humans.

10 Rules of Online Engagement for the Kicking and Screaming
Guest blogger Dan Toland of Ohio Farm Bureau provides 10 tips for farmers and agvocates online – even those who are fighting the internet and social media. He points to a 52% increase in consumer trust on websites as a credible source on food system issues as reason enough to join the discussion. It’s time to step outside your comfort zone and be engaged in real, live and honest-to-goodness online conversations about what you do.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream…
MPK hosted a party celebrating all the flavors of advocacy during National Ice Cream Month. Lots of fun flavors from all over the U.S. and Canada.

Advancing Social Media for Agriculture
We’re bombarded by 13,000 marketing messages each day, now largely due to new media. Watch the Evolution of Online Agvocacy if you want to see more. All of this social media mania is also building a fear that humans may just stop having real conversations -after all, we can just text, direct message, instant message, Facebook or email (how old school!). Nothing could be further from the truth, based upon the energy level of a group of farmers, ranchers and agricultural folks this week at the inaugural AgChat Foundation Agvocacy 2.0 Conference.

Why Farmers Should NOT Speak Up
A highly sarcastic look at 15 reasons why farmers and ranchers should not tell their story. Why start the year on a resolution when you can kick it off with satire? Great quotes from ag people added to MPK’s sarcasm. Post your reason – let’s get all the excuses out of the way so we can laugh a little – and then have a productive year as agvocates!

The Integrity of Humane Care
How would you feel if your family was video taped in secrecy in your own home? MPK shares the feelings of farmers in this situation with animal rights videos. She questions the integrity of an agenda-driven group producing videos while disregarding private property, biosecurity, food safety and employee protocol.

Cow’s need nutritionists? Don’t they just eat grass?
There are many similarities and a few key differences between the nutritional demands of a cow and a human. Robin Rastani, a nutritionist for dairy cattle, explains her common goal with human dietitians – providing a healthy, balanced diet within a budget for our clients. A guest post that provides a great example of connecting science of agriculture to food interests.

The Sin of Animal Agriculture
Generations removed from the farm means we no longer have conversation that animals die for us to eat. Somehow, we need to get back to understanding that farmers raise animals for food – animals that are very different than Fido or Fluffy. Those farm animals take things we can’t eat or drink and convert them to life sustenance.Those of us in agriculture need to learn to better communicate that we are grateful for the sacrifice that farm animals pay so that we can eat. Not just to feed people in cities, but our families, too.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: Good or Bad?
Will HFCS harm baby Blue? Guest blogger MRS talks about reading the stance of other mommy bloggers and how compelling their passion is – until she read a a registered dietitian’s blog about the body treats high fructose corn syrup the same as table sugar. Is HFCS really one of the foods that pose a health risk or simply something to be consumed in moderation?

So…how can you apply these ideas to your world? Take 15 minutes today to adapt one of them to your world, in the interest of connecting farm gate to food plate.

Tags: abuse, Agriculture, Animal Rights, farm, Food, HFCS, MPK, Nutrition, Social Media
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Consumer Trust, Farmer, Farming, Social Media | 3 Comments »

Hello farmer, meet city slicker

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Speaking the same language: Technology brings the farm to the kitchen

~ guest blog post by Amy Throndsen (urbanite)

Real-time updates from tractor cabs, cornfields, and barnyards around the world are starting to make their way into the information streams of people who are generations removed from the farm. As farmers, agriculture companies, ranchers, industry advocates, and other “ag” folks start Facebook pages and Twitter feeds, they find that it isn’t just other “ag” people who are interested in hearing what they have to say.

Followers of a dairy farmer’s Twitter feed can be as diverse as a hay producer two states away, an equipment dealer down the road, and a mother of three in a neighboring county. Certainly, @zweberfarms, @ezweber, @RayLinDairy @armessing and @mpaynknoper herself have stories to tell of the diversity of their Twitter followers. As the chatter develops, laypersons can ask questions directly of the farmer, rancher or dairyman. All of this social conversation can make a direct impact on the perception, accessibility and composition of the agriculture industry.

We have a real opportunity as “ag people” to use these boundary-breaking social media outlets to authentically communicate with city/suburban dwellers who are starting, more and more, to question where their food is coming from.

What is possible through this communication?

Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about that for weeks. I even took it to the shores of a lake in northern Wisconsin to try to wrap my brain around it, but, plain and simple, I don’t exactly know.

What stereotypes are you holding on to?

What I do know is that there are stereotypes that exist about both groups that sometimes keep us from reaching out and finding true understanding.

Farmers wear overalls, drive pick-up trucks, and are hard-headed. They go cow tipping on Saturday nights after the rodeo. They rarely travel outside the county line and they definitely aren’t using Twitter. Wrong.

City slickers wear shiny shoes, take taxis and are arrogant. They couldn’t tell the difference between a heifer and a steer, and they rarely get dirt underneath their fingernails. Wrong.

How can we help one another overcome these stereotypes to make real connections and find true understanding through our communication?

If you’re an “ag person” – what do you want “non-ag people” to know about you? If you’re a “city slicker” – what do you want “country folk” to know about you?

So, if you’re an “ag person,” take time to post something unconventional about you or your farm or your industry every day on your Facebook page or Twitter feed or blog. We’re all different and we all bring something unique to the conversation.

If you’re more of a city person, then ask us about what we do and how we do it. We want you to know where your food comes from.

As a suburban kid turned city slicker turned ag professional, I’ll start: I know very well where my milk comes from, but I have never milked a cow. I would love to try.

Overall, agriculture needs to communicate up and down the supply chain, from gate to plate. People need to understand that food production isn’t all high-tech, corporate mega-farms or om and pop barnyards or hippie, organic communes. The agrifood system, like most complex endeavors, comprises a diverse, multi-trillion dollar, global industry with a huge variety of business models, technological savvy and products.

I believe that the more consumers understand agriculture, the more responsible, informed choices they will make from the supermarket to the ballot box. What’s your role in that?

As the marketing and business development director for DCC Waterbeds (Dual Chamber Cow Waterbeds), Amy Throndsen supports the international dealer base, manages and develops corporate communications including social media, and integrates new technologies into overall business functions. Eleven years ago Amy’s father began telling the “waterbeds for cows” story in North America, and in the early 2000s, he patented the dual-chamber design. Amy recently transitioned to her role with DCC Waterbeds after a 10-year career in public service, including serving with AmeriCorps and Peace Corps (China). For more information on Amy and DCC Waterbeds, visit www.waterbedsforcows.com or find Amy on Twitter: @amyserves.

Tags: Agriculture, consumer, farm, Food, stereotypes, trust
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Consumer Trust, Farmer, Social Media | 19 Comments »

Audacious Leadership for Agriculture

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

Does a golden tongue and polished presentation make someone a leader? Is the person who shouts the loudest the most effective in leadership? What about the one who seems to take over any meeting they’re in?

True leadership is influence. Not only influence within a small circle, but grasping – and in turn – influencing the bigger picture. Agriculture is in desperate need of those leaders. Not someone who can simply “tell their story” and string a line of manure. Not the most gifted at debate. And certainly not a dictator who sees his or her opinion as the answer for all. The most effective leaders I’ve seen combine passion with human-ness, which makes them effective in connecting with others.

Thought leadership in agriculture for the next decade requires authenticity, a bit of audacity and a whole lot of action.

Authenticity. Ag folks are known for keeping it real, so this is an easy one, right? What if you asked to engage in a conversation with 10 people holding different viewpoints about food? And acknowledge that agriculture doesn’t always get it right – though we try our best? As Iowa farmer Liz Nieman pointed out in “Innocent Questions or Skepticism about the Farm?”, we haven’t always done the best job answering questions about how our food is grown and raised. We’ve improved dramatically in the last year, but I urge you to consider new ways of authenticity.
Audacity. I hear a lot of complaints about how agriculture needs to reach beyond the choir. Why not be audacious enough to actually do it? What if you audaciously try out a few ideas in emerging media? To put it in farm terms, will you be the bull or the steer? I’m not suggesting we charge anyone and knock down gates, but perhaps be a bit more aggressive in seeking ways to connect – especially in times when there is no “war” to fight. In other words, be audacious enough to be proactive. Not in a bold, arrogant way, but with enough gumption to try something new.
Are you an active or reactive leader?

Action Note this is NOT reaction – leaders don’t wait until the next nasty video or claim by the other side because they understand the trust of “the middle” is being eroded. Action as a leader in today’s hyper-connected world must include the ability to gather and engage the 80% that an still be influenced. This action is required in times of response AND status quo. We’ve fallen into a dangerous mode of reacting rather than slowly and carefully building relationships through our everyday actions.

People frequently ask me how I determine which tools will reach the most people as an agvocate in social media. Here’s my strategy: authentically consider what you want to accomplish, be audacious enough to try new ideas and take action to bring others to the table. I’m sure that strategy may disappoint some who expected a white paper with details about the employment of each social media channel. Nonetheless, it works in bringing people together, engaging them and creating conversation. In other words, know what your goal is, have the guts to pursue it and surround yourself with the best people.

Take a look down the road ten years to 2021. What does the agricultural, food and farming picture look like? It will either be painted by thought leaders in agriculture with authenticity, audacity and action – or by those who have little firsthand understanding of how food is produced. You decide who has the vision to make the boldest strokes that will appeal to the broadest audience. On the days you don’t want to deal with it, please remember that picture will ultimately determine the direction of your farm, ranch and agribusiness.

Tags: Agriculture, agvocate, authenticity, farm, Food, influence, leadership, ranch
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Consumer Trust, Food, Motivation, Social Media | 1 Comment »

Insider’s Scoop on John Deere & Social Media

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

~ guest blog post by Tara Saylor Litzenberger

I should probably start this post with a confession: even though many of you probably know me as “that gal from John Deere on Twitter,” social media is not part of my day job at John Deere. My day job is Internal Communications, which involves everything from video shoots to presentations, but almost exclusively for other employees. I blog (and Tweet and Facebook and even Gowalla) because I love my job and I love telling stories.

Still, being involved in social media while working for a company the size of John Deere is different than what many other agvocates do. For one thing, I don’t get to spend as much time around cows and tractors as many of you do. And yes, there are company rules and policies that I have to follow. But mostly, it’s a lot of fun. I get to connect with great people in nerdy new ways.

So what’s it like working for John Deere in the online era?

We have a great Social Media policy.
Short version: be transparent, don’t lie, follow communication policies and don’t be a jerk. The communication guidelines are the same ones I’d be following if I met you at a farm show, so that’s not hard to do. I do have to tack a disclaimer on posts* to clarify that I’m sharing my views, but that’s easy to do. There are people within the company who monitor brand activity online and they’re supportive of what I do.

We learn from you.
Although many people at John Deere do have an ag background, there are others who don’t know much about farming. Social media makes it easier than ever for employees to understand the more about agriculture, from YouTube videos of equipment in action to hashtags for current events.

We’re using social media around the world.
John Deere has official Twitter accounts in Brazil and Mexico, and we have a German Facebook page. I love seeing them, even if I need Google translate to tell me what’s going on.

We’ll keep growing from here.
I know that there are still things that we could do more effectively online. I recently heard Jeremiah Owyang of the Altimeter group say that most companies have been engaged in Social Media for less than five years. Considering that we’ve probably been running print ads for well over 150 years, I don’t feel too bad that we haven’t got all the answers online. And the best part is that we’re here and connecting with you to figure out how to make it happen.

Speaking of connecting and learning from you, I share stories of how farmers use social media with other people in the company. I’d love to hear your stories in the comments.

*including this guest post. These are my own opinions and views and may not represent or reflect the opinions or views of John Deere.

Tara Saylor Litzenberger is an all-around nerd who works in Corporate Communicatons at John Deere. She grew up on a small farm in Pennsylvania, married a country boy from Florida and now regularly spends time in three different Midwestern states. She shares her journey on her blog, Adventures in Ag.

Tags: Agriculture, agvocate, John Deere, Social Media, social media policy, Technology, Twitter
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Farmer, Social Media, Technology | 3 Comments »