Productivity on a farm historically has been measured in bushels, pounds or acres. Today’s it’s about delivering safe food and being able to feed a population where one in six are hungry. Another measurement is how much people understand where their food came from. Yes, your interest in food is a measurement of success for those producing it!
There are many reasons for this measurement, but a key factor is that it’s really tough for 1.5% of the population to get the truth out to the 98.5% that are not on a farm. The great news is that social media allows connections between the farm and food communities to multiply. Or, as Neen would say, grow impactivity.
It’s true – farmers tweet, Facebook, blog, shoot videos and even podcast. Case in point, more than 10,000 people from 10 countries have used #AgChat on Twitter since April 2009. This weekly moderated conversation, along with the sister chat, #FoodChat, is a meeting place for anyone interested in food, feed, fuel or fiber.
While I did not start AgChat with any outcomes in mind, these are some of the highlights that have helped the community grow.
1.Serve as a resource. Have a mission that is bigger than you.
2.Invite influencers to participate in the vision.
3.Engage people, but understand conversation does not equal agreement. Know that detractors can actually serve as motivators to the community.
4.Develop a framework. Determine what confines it makes sense for the community to operate within.
5.Leverage the engagement by finding talent to add to the pool. AgChat would not have continued for 2 ½ years if it were not for others helping.
6.Stand back and get out of the community’s way – allow it to grow, as long as it within the parameters of the vision.
7.Beware of grenades – they will be thrown externally and internally within the community due to egos. Stay true to the vision.
8.Encourage others by answering questions, working behind the scenes, supporting those who want to build new ideas in the community.
Virtual connections like these have empowered agricultural people in many ways, from a sense of community to sharing best practices to answering consumer questions. Individuals who engage in a community online extend their voice 100x or 1000x. The AgChat Foundation began a year after AgChat by a group of farmers, to help embrace and grow the many great ideas percolating.This idea exchange is unquestionably the greatest value I’ve seen across the community. That’s true about social media done well, regardless of the cause or topic. The more people who participate in the conversation, the stronger the movement grows and reaches higher levels of impactivity.
Michele Payn-Knoper is a farm girl, mom and Certified Speaking Professional connecting the farm gate to consumer plate. She’s also an Apple loving technology addict who founded #FoodChat and #AgChat to create conversation between agriculture and food folks. She and Neen have been known to enjoy cute shoes and all things fuscia together. Check out MPK’s Gate to Plate blog, connect with her on Facebook or get your food questions answered at an international list of farm and nutrition blogs.
