Social media is really one of the best ways to reach people nowadays. As much as we might hate to admit it, celebrities and well-known online influencers really can have a huge impact on policy and perception surrounding our industry. Where is our voice as the farmer, and can we make a difference?

The answer can most certainly be YES!

But it’s up to us as an industry to strengthen these messages and connect with strong partners in urban areas outside of our industry to more effectively be heard. And one way I’ve found to do this is to not be afraid of the tough topics! This link is one example of this, which over time has reached nearly 14 million people on Facebook alone.

Let’s be transparent and celebrate advances; celebrate pesticides! Wait, that sounds totally weird right? But it’s true! Because it’s no different than spraying ourselves with chemicals like bug spray and sunblock, plants are just as living as we are and also need to be protected. We as living beings need medicine, food, nutrients … plants need that too! And pesticide application is overwhelmingly done responsibly and with greater and greater advances in biotechnology. It’s better living through chemistry — for ourselves and our crops. Explaining this in a way that the everyday consumer can understand is an important way to communicate ag science effectively.

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