I love talking about the generational differences within the agriculture and food sector. I had some eye-opening conversations when I spoke to a number of farmers last fall for Country Guide’s Best Advice podcast series, and learned how they approach business on the farm. You could tell early in our conversations what type of mindset […] Read more
Opinion: Mindset is a tool that we can leverage
How a growth rather than fixed mindset can help fuel the agriculture sector’s growth
Comment: Agriculture, climate change shouldn’t be exclusive
Food and airline travel should not be equally compared when it comes to climate change, says the writer
Any time food and farming are spoken of with distain or blamed for something, farmers take it personally. It’s an attack not necessarily on the product grown, but on our character. It’s why I believe it’s hard for many in agriculture and food to digest the latest news, media reports and research that discusses agriculture […] Read more
Opinion: The issues of the people we feed should be our issues
Furthering public trust with consumers begins by speaking out for them
This column is not an easy one to write because it speaks to a very necessary topic that should be top of mind for us– racism. No word count will allow the appropriate amount of words needed for a conversation of this nature. I’m not an expert in racism, anti-racism or diversity, inclusion and equality […] Read more
Comment: Where agriculture fits in a world of constant change
Change isn’t anything new to agriculture, but the sector’s image doesn’t reflect that reality
Stability was the benchmark word of success for not only our agri-food sector, but all of society. It was the white picket fence, house with a yard and car marked as the iconic ‘American Dream’ everyone aspired to. Stability meant security — get a job, buy a house, stay with the same company for 25+ […] Read more
Comment: Should agriculture advocacy become activism?
The term ‘agvocate’ has made the agriculture sector feel good but probably doesn’t resonate with consumers
“Activist — A person who campaigns to bring about political or social change.” “Activism — Consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct, or intervene in social, political, economic, or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society.” The word “activist” appears to be a word that has gone mainstream. There are human rights […] Read more
Comment: Consumers are driving the bus on food
They want product segmentation and most importantly, to understand the story (and people) behind their food
I recently finished Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, The Thank You Economy, a book published in 2011 about the ever-changing consumer. It discusses how thinking with a consumer-centered mindset and putting consumers at the heart of everything you do would be the future for any brand or business to serve consumers. It’s hard to believe Vaynerchuk’s book […] Read more
Opinion: Are our social media networks as valuable as we think?
Agriculture needs to evolve its networks beyond others in the sector
The agri-food industry was one of the first industries to embrace social media. Our sector was actively using social media a decade ago when social media platforms were just taking off for business purposes. Social media opened doors for many of us, to connect with people we would have otherwise never had the chance to […] Read more
Does agriculture need a ‘Jerry Maguire Manifesto’ moment?
We’re living through a second time of disruption in our sector since the introduction of the tractor. We’re watching our tractors now drive themselves, our cows be milked by robots and our meat grown in labs. In short, we’re being replaced by robots and artificial intelligence in a very slow, but steady way. If there […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
