Plant seeds of confidence this spring
New consumer-farmer study reveals stubborn gap

LEBANON, Ind. (February 19, 2003) – The anticipation of spring brings a flurry of work to most farms and agribusinesses. But one agricultural advocate warns that as farmers get wrapped up in preparing the planter or calving, an important responsibility is commonly forgotten or ignored: talking to consumers about food production and safety.

“Championing the cause of agriculture right now is more critical than ever because we are losing in the courtroom of public opinion,” says Michele Payn-Knoper, a professional speaker that caters to the agricultural market. “Agriculturists need to remember to plant seeds of confidence in the customers who ultimately purchase food and fiber products. Increasing the public’s understanding of ag has to be at the top of our chore list.”

She refers to a recent announcement by The Center for Consumer Freedom in which European-funded environmental activists admitted to purposely stirring up anti-biotechnology hysteria in Zambia that resulted in the rejection of a shipment of U.S. grain last fall. “When three million people continue to starve because of activist rhetoric, it’s pretty clear that the need to intervene is crucial.”

Unfortunately, the opportunity to factually educate consumers is dwindling, according to a recently released study. The 2002 Food and Farming Study, sponsored by American Farm Bureau Federation and Altria Group (formerly Phillip Morris), illustrates that a growing number of consumers have formed opinions about food production since 1999, the last time the survey was conducted. Fewer consumers now answer “don’t know” when asked about different farming and food production practices compared to three years ago.

“The frightening revelation is that consumers still are not getting agrifood information from farmers or others in agriculture,” Payn-Knoper says. “As was the case in the 1999 study, nearly 75% of consumers say the agricultural industry is doing only a “fair” or “poor” job of communicating about our industry.”

The Food and Farming study revealed several other interesting findings:

The good news, says Payn-Knoper, is that consumers still support farmers. The majority (44%) agree with the concept of subsidies paid to farmers, though nearly two thirds believe subsidies should be based upon sound farming practices rather than production.

“Farming is consistently ranked as one of the three mostly highly respected occupations in this country. We must leverage that credibility to help educate the public about food production and safety issues,” she says. “By working together to build confidence in practices used from the farm gate to the consumer plate, we can counter the extreme messages and scare tactics brought forth by groups like PETA or Friends of the Earth.” Payn-Knoper offers tools at www.mpk.info to help agriculturists proactively tell their story.

One Person, One Hour, Once a Week

Add “championing agriculture” to your checklist each season, Payn-Knoper suggests. “Consider it an opportunity to sow seeds for the future of our industry.” She encourages all of her audiences to invest an hour each week to “speak out for agriculture” – whether through casual conversation, a letter to the editor, or a tour.

“If each 'one person' took 'one hour/week' to champion the cause of agriculture, our industry would see significant strides in the understanding of the agrifood business,” she says. Her proprietary 6 ½ step program, available at her website, provides agriculturists with practical ways to improve communication skills and fight back for agriculture.

Michele Payn-Knoper is a professional speaker based in Lebanon, Indiana. Through selling $5 million in sponsorships for the National FFA Foundation, conducting sales training around the globe and implementing numerous community relations campaigns, Payn-Knoper continues to rediscover the phenomenon of championing a cause. Payn-Knoper lives on a historic farm with her husband, Bryan. Her free monthly newsletter, full of lively commentary and sales/communications advice, is available on this website.

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Media Contact: Heidi Holte Nelson, 503-293-4913 or Michele Payn-Knoper