John Blue - How Farmers and Ranchers are Using Social Media

How Farmers and Ranchers are

Using Social Media

John Blue

1Tuesday, October 2, 12

Many thanks!

Please tweet your thanks!@podcampeast #PCEast

@ConstantContact

@thewilmu

@dtccterry

@Epicmc2


Truffle Media

Ned Arthur, Director of Sales and Content Development

John Blue, Chief of Community Creation


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




Why a video?

Greg Peterson wanted to help their friends in town understand what Greg’s family does on the farm.


Why do farmers and ranchers need social media?



Farming Mythology




Unusual events happen that make us go "Huh?"


Smuggling cheese.


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


Lean Finely Textured BeefPink Slime


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


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


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




Everyone eats



Number of farms21Tuesday, October 2, 12

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0823.pdf

Relative farm population segments

http://agtoday.us/us-farmer-subgroups-info-2011








Relative farm revenue size


http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0823.pdf23Tuesday, October 2, 12






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


Because they havea story to tell.



Here are some examples


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




AgIowaWhy: 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




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/




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/


http://agwired.com/

http://agwired.com/

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_IAP5858How Farmers Get Serious Business Done With Mobilehttp://schedule.sxsw.com/2011/events/event_IAP5986Agvocacy 2.0: Adding a Human Voice to the Farm


http://schedule.sxsw.com/2011/events/event_IAP5858




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/




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/




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.html35Tuesday, October 2, 12

http://www.ilovefarmers.org/about.html

http://www.ilovefarmers.org/about.html

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/


http://agchat.org/

http://agchat.org/

Telling a great storyWhat is happening?


So What Now For Agriculture?


Who are some Ag Rockstars?


#oink

#moo

Organize ThankAFarmer

#FoodThanks

#FoodD


Educate

Agvocacy 2.0Bringing 120 FarmersAnd Ranchers to Chicago, Nashville, and Kansas City.


140 Conferences

Opening up their farms

Spread the word

Regular opportunitiesto share


Many thanks!

Please tweet your thanks!@podcampeast #PCEast

@ConstantContact

@thewilmu

@dtccterry

@Epicmc2


How Farmers and Ranchers are

Using Social Media

@[email protected]

www.linkedin.com/in/johnblueJohn Blue


http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblue

http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblue


Contact Information

[email protected]@TruffleMediaTruffleMedia.com/Facebook

(877) 558-7833TruffleMedia.com


Education

John Blue - How Farmers and Ranchers are Using Social Media