Agvocating: Quick, Short & to the Point

Posts Tagged ‘Social Media’

Agvocating: Quick, Short & to the Point

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

~ guest blog post by Wayne Black

Just over a year ago my wife (@JenniLeeBlack) convinced me I should be involved with social media. Not being a fan of Facebook, I was skeptical. For me it had to be quick, short and to the point. Then I read about Twitter. A limit of 140 characters it suited my style.

I spent about two weeks reading up on Twitter before starting. I would encourage everyone to do the same thing. Since then I have found many websites that have it summed up on one page or in one picture. A great example of this is one developed by Ogilvy’s 360 Degree Digital Influence group: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27132029@N06/3022781883/

Wayne is an avid agvocate for agriculture through both social media and with his involvement with various agriculture groups.

I have learned a lot from being on Twitter. The first is that we, as farmers, have to be involved with social media. It doesn’t really matter whether it is Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or whatever the platform of the day is. There is a conversation going on. We must be involved.

The second thing I’ve learned is no matter what you do, each message is more effective if you “market” that message to the right people. I do that by using hashtags or #.

Hashtags are a sales pitch for each tweet I send and the most effective for getting noticed. People search out tweets of interest by searching hashtags. One that got me involved with a lot of new followers and finding new people to follow was #agchat. Since then I have discovered other hashtags that interest me such as #food, #moo, #corn and other #agriculture identifiers. Locally we have developed #HuronCty (for our Huron County), #Ontag (Ontario Agriculture) and #GGA (a part of Huron County termed Greater Goderich Area). There are no limits to hashtags; they can be whatever you’d like and can help you find the conversations you need to be involved with.

And finally, the biggest reason to be on Twitter or any type of Social Media is for advocating (or in my case, agvocating). Twitter has offered me an excellent venue for agvocating for Ontario Agriculture. It has generated a lot of discussion with politicos, foodies, urbanites and also fellow farmers. My personal use has generated media articles that promote the positive aspects of agriculture and farming in Rural Ontario. People who read my tweets can place a name to a person which adds value to the message.

The joy of Twitter is that it gives the opportunity to get engaged in a conversation if an issue comes up. You have the opportunity to learn why they have created the negative or positive thought about agriculture. You can walk through a process with the person on the other side to get them engaged in conversation, rather than preaching or appearing to sell the idea. A lot of times people just want to hear from a farmer. They want to hear what my farm practices are. Understanding why I do what I do gives them further depth to knowing and the ability to question the negative aspects.

Social media allows me as a farmer to become engaged with non-farmers and politicos. We need to become engaged in conversation to get our story out, make it believable and to be truthful. Twitter allows me to do that from where ever I am, in the field, in the barn, in the Boardroom or in my home. People are engaged on the go, even in Rural Ontario.

You may think social media is not for you, but I encourage you to look around. Most likely you’ll find a conversation going on that you’ll want to weigh in on. Pick a platform and speak up. Let your voice be heard.

Who is @waynekblack?

Wayne is a cash crop farmer with a passion for agriculture. He also works with his father on the original farm that has been in the family since before 1867. He is on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and Agricultural Adaptation Council. Locally he is engaged with various Committees working on Economic Development opportunities and sustainability efforts. In his spare time, he enjoys life with his wonderful wife & 3 amazing children (http://abearaladybugandapeanut.wordpress.com).

Tags: Advocacy, Agriculture, agvocacy, Facebook, Farmer, Social Media, Technology, Twitter
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Social Media, Technology | 1 Comment »

Small Farmer Talks Rabbits & Chickens on Social Media

Friday, April 15th, 2011

~ guest blog post by Jan Hoadley, Slow Money Farm

Most people wouldn’t consider social media a part of their agricultural venture. Technology maybe, but Twitter or Facebook? It’s vital for my operation because there’s a whole world who hasn’t heard about our animals.

You see, many have chickens or rabbits. Many will sell eggs or other products from the farm. As a small operation, we’re dependent on larger operations for our feed and keeping that feed affordable. We’re also dependent to a large degree on social media not just for agriculture but for our choices in breeds.

Many people have never seen a giant chinchilla rabbit, although rabbits are common with lop ears or white or small pets. Our Dominiques trace to those hardy birds of 100 years ago when they were the bird of choice on American farms. They could forage, lay enough eggs for a family and excess males were large enough for Sunday dinner. Today they, like many rare breeds, are kept alive in those smaller conditions. They aren’t adapted as a commercial bird.

You see, it’s rare breeds that balance the commercial production animals in giving food choices. They’re also a living link to the past. The giant chinchilla has the moniker “the million dollar rabbit” and are gentle enough to be handled by a novice pre-teen, despite their larger size.

Our animals have function and beauty but that isn’t enough in today’s agricultural diversity. Without exposure – without people learning about them and generating demand for them – they may well become extinct. Gone forever, such as some in the past that were so good at producing crossbred production animals no one kept the purebred lines alive.

Social media allows us to provide a little history and a little present day mixed together with function and memories. Social media allows photos, stories and videos to cross wires and be viewed by people far away. It allows those far from their food source to see options in agriculture and in how their food is grown.

It allows viewing something besides horrific videos that don’t represent agriculture as a whole, but it does so in color. From the Rhode Island Reds and Dominiques to the black Australorps it allows showing the birds from the comfort of their home to those in the comfort of theirs.

Agriculture is diverse! From aquaculture to herbs to thousands of products we deal with every day, agriculture is a part. Beyond that no two poultry operations are the same. In using social media to tell our story it is about more than just us – it highlights some colorful, beautiful and functional animals that others can support from afar or use to produce their own food.

As a small operation it’s difficult to get away for long and each bird or rabbit is an individual. Our crops are much smaller and more diverse than what is produced on large farms or found in the local grocery. Social media takes promotion to new levels with convenience. You can “visit” from anywhere…and we hope you will! Extinction is forever – in farms and in livestock. We all offer choice.

Jan Hoadley grew up in the Midwest, but currently lives in northwest Alabama with a variety of unusual looking creatures. She is a proud graduate of the AgChat Foundation’s Agvocacy 2.0 training and has recently added video blogging to her use of social media tools, though she prefers to be behind the camera rather than in front of it. Jan is known for bringing a unique perspective to the conversation about our food. You can find her on Twitter, Linkedin or the farm’s website is http://www.slowmoneyfarm.com.

Tags: Advocacy, Agriculture, agvocacy, animal agriculture, chicken, Farmer, Farming, Food, food production, organic, poultry, rabbits, Social Media
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Farming, Food, Social Media | 1 Comment »

Farmer Grows Agritourism & Winery Through Social Media

Friday, April 8th, 2011

~ guest blog post by Bill Bakan, Maize Valley Farms

“If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything” by Alexander Hamilton and “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds” by Woody Hayes are quotes describe the balancing act that I think life is mostly about.

Saying that, we are involved in social media as an effort to balance and control our online image. You see, I don’t live to farm – I farm for a living. I also say I must be unemployed because I love my “job” so it must not be work! I use our web site, blog, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter accounts, to sell our “stuff.” It also helps with search engine optimization; I just try and put enough content out that I generate inbound links as much as possible from as many angles as possible.

We currently raise about 52 different crops on approximately 700 acres. Our farm market/winery is open year round. We attended 10 farmers markets a week during the summer of 2010 and one in the winter. We also focus on special event marketing in addition to “traditional corn maze/fall pumpkin” attraction destination activities. We do all of this to sell what we grow and make.

What message are you sending?

As a “traditional farmer” I got tired of buying retail and selling wholesale as they say. We wanted more control. We needed to vertically integrate our product line yes, but our marketing message even more. Social media allows for direct real time interactive communication with our markets/people. You have to spend the time and money somehow to market and social media is better than most of the “professionals” I have found out there.

It is about the “Balance”, and conversions in the end are what makes “$Bank$”. Social media is not a total answer - it is a tool to be used as part of a plan. Part of that plan revolves around an authentic message and an image development that reinforces the true reality that is a farm life. That IS marketable in itself! Social networking is the best tool for this job. For example: I remember “back in the day” mowing hay before bolt on knife sections, and diskbines. If you ever tried to change a knife section on a cutter bar without that “rivet tool thingy” – you know what I mean? You had to use a ball-peen hammer a cold chisel, center punch and a “smash hammer”, (which usually involved a knuckle sooner or later). Sure makes reaching for your pocket knife later a whole lot easier if your knuckle isn’t busted!

Content like THAT is what I mean, it “connects” or at least relays an experience that other people trust as coming from a true legit source without any “filters”. It is a special message and treatment that people want – true customer service.

Zingerman’s of Ann Arbor, Michigan says it best.

Figure out what the customer wants,
Give it to them,
Go the extra mile.

It’s really that simple – and communicating, especially social media helps to do this very well. Even if you don’t direct market, other people have an increasing say in how you operate and that translates into your cost of production. History shows the low cost producer usually succeeds. Profit comes two ways, increased sales or reduced costs.

Social media allows you to listen, so you can act effectively, which provides an opportunity to exceed expectations. Do this well and you multiply “agvocates” beyond yourself in the form of third party validation, which are today’s most valuable ambassadors.

Everyone is your customer, everyone is your boss, but tell your story well and they are your friend too! Outcomes we’ve seen include:

Touching our customers: a certain portion of our guests they tell me in person often how much they like our posts etc.
Listening: you learn the most when you close your mouth and open your ears I was told. Social media allows me to keep a good eye on trends and the “vibe” of the day, market, demographic, etc.
Growing our business: I hope we can keep up and continue to “exceed” expectations.

Social media has made me a better person; it’s “softened” my edges a bit, while increasing my awareness of the world around me and what other people find important in their lives. I suggest you try social media before someone does it for you and you don’t like but can’t do anything about it. At least “show up” and see what happens. Species that fail to adapt perish.

Farmer turns to SM for winery & agrotourism

Bill is a husband, father, farmer, entertainer entrepreneur trying to keep it real AND profitable down on the farm. “At Maize Valley We Make Great Wine…FUN!”

You can learn more about their farm at http://www.maizevalleywinery.com, on Facebook, on Twitter, or their blog at http://www.ohiowineandmore.com.

Tags: Advocacy, Agriculture, agritourism, agvocacy, Facebook, Farmer, farmer's markets, Farming, Food, Social Media, Twitter, Winery, YouTube
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Consumer Trust, Farming, Food, Social Media | 1 Comment »

The Human Element of Farmers: Sports Obsession & Oscar Dresses

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

~ guest blog post by Zach Hunnicutt

The University of Nebraska is moving to the Big Ten next year. You likely knew that already, and if you follow me on Twitter, I did all I could to drill this information into your eyeballs last June while the whole conference realignment business was at its fever pitch. Because of the magical convergence of GPS autosteering in my tractor, a Blackberry and long days applying fertilizer, I could follow and share all the information the interwebs had to offer about which school was going where and which conferences might collapse. To say I was obsessed would be understating the fact; to say I was annoying wouldn’t be incorrect.

What does this have to do with agvocacy? Everything. Not because Nebraska is a top-notch land grant university whose agricultural research will be greatly aided by entry into the Big Ten, and not because some cutting-edge ag technology made it happen, but because it allowed my followers to see a human element to the farmer behind the smartphone.

Farmer talks Twitter & Commodity Trading CNBC

Zach recently appeared on CNBC to discuss his use of Twitter on the tractor. Next up he will be on a SXSW panel in Austin.

One of the chief aims of agvocates is to reconnect a disconnected public with their food production. At a basic level, this means making sure that people know that milk and eggs aren’t made at the grocery store, that field corn and sweet corn are different, and that somebody has to butcher the meat they’re grilling, to name a few issues (I can’t count the number of times I’ve explained that popcorn isn’t just yellow corn that pops). It also means explaining what we do and why, to clear up misconceptions and give the public a greater understanding of what we’re doing on the farm.

However, we need to remember that we’re not just connecting The Public with The Farm. Social media is about connecting Zach in Giltner with Jesse in New Jersey. Agvocacy becomes most effective when we add that human voice to the farm. For instance, I obsess over sports like a lot of my followers. I deal with the same joys and frustrations of parenting. Somehow, I even got sucked into watching the Oscars (and tweeting about a dress, no less…). Basically, I’m a human being like anyone else, I just work on the production end of the food supply. And once people know Zach the person along with Zach the farmer, I (hopefully) earn a higher level of trust when I talk about agriculture. Just as we trust offline friends to recommend things such as music and restaurants, developing online relationships builds a trust that can make all the difference in sharing your agvocacy story.

So there’s my deeply insightful advice for all you agvocates out there: tweet about your lives. Talk about your favorite music. Obsess over your sports teams. Share what you’re seeing while people-watching in malls and airports (just remember it’s a public forum…and hope that lady with the mullet isn’t on Twitter). Focus on making a human connection with your audience while you’re making an educational connection. And get ready for me to fill your Twitter feeds with Nebraska’s first year of dominating the Big Ten. Go Big Red! (insert picture of MPK vomiting here.)

Zach Hunnicutt is a fifth-generation farmer growing corn, popcorn, and soybeans near Giltner, Nebraska, with his dad, brother and a neighbor. He and his wife have a three-year old and a one-year old who will hopefully be the sixth generation one day. He’s also a proud Nebraska Cornhusker who can’t wait to see Michele’s Spartans come to town in October (MPK would like to note that she’s far more concerned about basketball season since that’s the real sport).

You can find him on Twitter at @zjhunn. He will be part of a panel at South by Southwest Interactive called “Agvocacy 2.0: Adding a Human Voice to the Farm”. Catch Zach’s CNBC five minutes of fame at http://www.cnbc.com/id/41948275.

Tags: Advocacy, Agriculture, agvocacy, Big 10, farm, Farmer, Nebraska, Social Media, Twitter
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Consumer Trust, Farmer, Farming, Social Media | 5 Comments »

Growing Educated Opinions in FFA Leaders

Friday, February 25th, 2011

If someone had told me – oh, two years ago, let’s say – that social media would play a huge role in my professional career, I probably would have had a good chuckle. You see, I’m going to school to become a teacher. And not just any teacher, of course.

An agriculture education teacher.

Who would think that an ag teacher would use Facebook, Twitter, Skype and YouTube to help their students learn? I mean, come on, ag teachers help kids learn about tractors and soil and plants and animals, right? Not the Internet.

Well, sorry to break it to you, but this future ag teacher is going to shake thing up a bit!

Over the past two years, using social media has reminded me how much I can learn from others inside and outside of the agriculture industry. I never knew organic dairy farmers from Minnesota before social media. I’d never met any type of rancher prior to Twitter. I didn’t know the impact you could have through YouTube. Simply put, I’ve learned that social media is an unbelievably valuable part of the necessary relationships surrounding our food – from the farm to the plate.

So why shouldn’t our students learn about it and learn from it?

As we celebrate National FFA Week, it’s a great time to reflect on the experiences we had as FFA members, how our lives have been impacted by an FFA member or how we can continue to help current FFA members “develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success”. Social media fits in perfectly with that mission. I want my students to be able to become leaders who have an educated opinion and voice in online conversations about our food system. I want them to grow in their beliefs and opinions by interacting with others from across the country. I also want them to advance professionally because of the strong connections they were able to make with others through social media.

Those are all opportunities that these technologies have afforded me, and I can only hope that social media will enrich the lives of my students as well – exactly as the FFA mission says.

There’s still a bit of time until I have my own class, though, so for now I’ll continue to work hard to encourage FFA members, alumni and supporters from all over to ‘agvocate’ through social media and hope that you will too. Consider conducting a social media workshop with your local FFA chapter officers or maybe help an advisor get their FFA chapter Facebook page up and running. For many agriculture programs, they’d love to be involved in social media, but are just looking for some assistance. Can you be the one to bring social media to an agriculture program and FFA chapter in your area?

Amanda Sollman is a student at Michigan State University, majoring in Agriscience with concentrations in Education and Communication. Amanda is a former member of the Sanilac FFA Chapter and currently co-moderates #AgEduChat, a bi-weekly Twitter chat focused on agricultural education. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and at her blog!

MPK sidenote: As a product of the Michigan FFA program, it gives me great pride to have a Spartan student here who once wore the same FFA jacket I did as as state officer. And, before I forget – Go Green! Go White!

Tags: Advocacy, Ag teacher, Agriculture, Facebook, FFA, National FFA Week, Social Media, Twitter
Posted in Advocacy, Agriculture, Farming, Social Media, Technology | 2 Comments »