Communicating with non-farmers about agriculture

May 16, 2016

Simple steps to engage outsiders about the industry

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Much of the grey area between farmers and non-farmers can be attributed to miscommunication and lack of knowledge – many people outside of agriculture simply aren’t aware of how farmers go about producing crops.

There are many different ways to go about speaking with non-farmers about the issues and practices surrounding agriculture.

Farmer and consumer

1)Start with the basics
Introduce yourself as you would to anyone else using the 5 Ws (Who are you? What do you grow or raise? Where is the farm located? Why do you farm? When did you start farming?).
By introducing yourself and giving some context about your background, the person listening may see you as approachable and transparent.

2)Promote benefits
When asked about how or why you raise crops a certain way, raise cattle or manage pests, focus on the benefits. By sharing why the practices are being done and promoting the benefits to the consumer, they may develop an understanding of why farmers perform certain actions.

3)Keep it local
If someone brings up an ag issue taking place in another part of the world and you’re not familiar with it, be honest with them. Discuss the issue and express how you can go about ensuring your farm doesn’t have the same issue.

4)Know your audience
Agriculture is full of terminology specific to the industry. By using baseline wording, the listener can understand the information being relayed.

5)Invite the public
Sometimes people need to see things for themselves rather than just be told. Having some people tour your farm to get a first-hand look at what you do and why you do it, may give the public a better understanding of agricultural practices.

What are some strategies you take when speaking with people outside of agriculture?

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.