Why do farmers and ranchers need social media? - John Blue, shared as an introduction to why agriculture & social media is important. This presentation also shares examples of how farmers, ranchers, and ag media are using social and digital media.

1. Truffle Media
Ned Arthur, Director of Sales and
Content Development
John Blue, Chief of
Community Creation

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H7zOQrX3U

3. Why a video?
Greg Peterson wanted to
help their friends in town
understand what Greg’s
family does on the farm.

4. Why do farmers and
ranchers need social media?

6. Farming Mythology

9. Unusual events happen that make us go "Huh?"

10. Smuggling cheese.

11. PETA, HSUS, Mercy for Animals portray
any use of animals in any way is always
wrong all the time.

12. Lean Finely Textured Beef
Pink Slime

13. Food safety in the news implies all food of
same type is now bad.

14. Consumer observations of products in the
stores not always as they seem.

15. Science to advance growing more foods is opposed
by people wanting to not have science based
approach to growing food.

16. Why do farmers and
ranchers need social media?

17. Everyone eats

19. Number of farms

20. http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0823.pdf
Relative farm population segments
http://agtoday.us/us-farmer-subgroups-info-2011

21. Relative farm revenue size
http://agtoday.us/us-farmer-subgroups-info-2011
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0823.pdf

22. Can Agriculture
Media Help?

23. 78+
Ag
agencies
70+
Ag
associa/ons
160+
Ag
focused
companies
232+
Ag
focused
print
media
http://www.agrimarketing.com/

24. Print Association
Company Agency

26. Pictures via Twitter: Lower Dairy Farm, Tracy Zeorian, Ryan froman, Marilena Barbera,
Jennifer Dewey, Chad Ingels, Susie J Kirkham, Suderman Bros, sean harmon, McGregor
Farms, Zach Watson, Philip Brigham, John Pawsey, Brenda Kirsch, Tried&True, Bryan
Avison, James Lane

27. Because they have
a story to tell.
Why do farmers and
ranchers need social media?

28. Here are some examples

29. Why: milk prices in the USA were not working well for some
dairy farmers; Do consumers know this?
Action: use Twitter to trend #Moo to help draw attention to the
milk price issues.
http://gilmerdairy.blogspot.com/2009/08/dairy-awareness-moo-ving-on-up-in.html

30. AgIowa
Why: to bring ag social media people together to learn and
share plus help promote agriculture to non-ag population.
Action: leverage the 140 brand and crate a physical event in a
large ag focused state (Iowa). Share info via live event, Twitter,
and web site.
http://140conf.com/agiowa

31. Why: Zweber Farms is a family farm that made the
decision to be organic. How do they tell people
about it?
Action: Create a blog, start using twitter, take pictures, utilize
Facebook, go to events to share what they are doing. Tim
Zweber tweets from the tractor and Emily writes blog posts and
connects on Facebook.
http://zweberfarms.com/

32. Why: Create a profitable ag digital media company
Action: Be willing to try almost anything, technology wise and
marketing wise to build the business. Build platforms on
WordPress, Flickr, and connections within the ag industry.
http://agwired.com/

33. SXSW
Why: Elevate the understanding of agriculture with a tech
savvy crowd
Action: Design and submit SXSW proposal and then engage
core support crowd to provide supporting votes. Show up and
hang on!
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2011/events/event_IAP5858
How Farmers Get Serious Business Done With Mobile
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2011/events/event_IAP5986
Agvocacy 2.0: Adding a Human Voice to the Farm

34. Why: with less than 2% of the US population actually
growing food, there is a disconnect to understanding
who does produce food.
Action: create a campaign on Twitter around #FoodThanks,
utilize a landing page to share info on how to participate,
include Twibbon on Twitter avatars, and talk with people to
encourage them to blog / thank farmers for our food.
http://foodthanks.com/

35. Why: There is a lot of information about genetically modified
organisms that the public believes yet is not true.
Action: Build a blog around science experts and interested
parties to share what happens in science and research. Create
a face with FrankNFoode on Twitter and in real life to help
educate people on the science.
http://www.biofortified.org/

36. Why: Many people are not familiar with farming and the work it
involves. Young people have energy and a belief they can
make a difference.
Action: "Together, our generation can make a difference."
through concerts, design, Social Media, Selling T-shirts at
events, talking to many people, using social media
http://www.ilovefarmers.org/about.html

37. Why: To empower farmers and ranchers to connect
communities through social media platforms.
Action: setup events to bring social media training to farmers
and ranchers in large and small groups.
http://agchat.org/

38. Telling a great story
What is happening?

39. Contact Information
info@TruffleMedia.com
@TruffleMedia
TruffleMedia.com/Facebook
(877) 558-7833
TruffleMedia.com