This was a keynote address to Food and Farm Care in Saskatoon, SK Canada, December 14, 2016. The talk centered on strategies for ag producers to be more effective in communication at the public interface about any "hot button" issue in farming and food, issues like hormones, antibiotics, GMO or pesticides. There is a clear method to help the public understand how these technologies work, as well as their relative risk and benefit. A lot has to do with trust. This strategy speaks about these topics as well as how to be an improved voice in social media.

1. Connecting Consumers to
Agriculture and Science
Kevin M. Folta
Professor and Chairman
Horticultural Sciences Department
kfolta.blogspot.com
@kevinfolta kfolta@ufl.edu
www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com

2. How do we learn from our mistakes,
from social science, from psychology,
to better share what we do in
agriculture?
1.Why I do this
2.Why we have a problem
3.What works in contentious issues
communication
4.How you can be more effective in
communicating in social media space

3. Research
Funding and Reimbursement: www.kevinfolta.com/transparency
Slides: www.slideshare.net/kevinfolta

4. What are the mistakes weWhat are the mistakes we
make when we aremake when we are
approached with contentiousapproached with contentious
issues?issues?

5. Consumers are seeking information
Where do the
ingredients
come from?
Is it nutritious?
Will my family
like it?
Do I trust the
company?
Is this a good
value?
What are these
long words on
the label?
Is this one of
those GMO
things?
Is it full of the
glutens?
What would Dr.
Oz think?

6. Consumers are reacting to information
Pesticides
Antibiotics
Hormones
Fertilizer
Gluten
GMO
Water use
BPA
MSG
Understanding
makes me a better
consumer.
I don’t know what
to believe, so I just
won’t buy it.

7. Consumers are seeking information
Where do the
ingredients
come from?
Is it nutritious?
Will my family
like it?
Do I trust the
company?
Is this a good
value?
What are these
long words on
the label?
Is this one of
those GMO
things?
Is it full of the
glutens?
What would Dr.
Oz think?
THIS IS A
VERY GOOD
THING.

8. We are not their trusted sources.
We are looking for
honest answers
about food and
farming!
We’re actually ag
producers and
scientists, but we’re
too busy and don’t
want to get involved.
How can we help
you? We’re sorta
farmers, producers
and scientists.

9. Why are we not
their trusted
sources?

10. People love farmers and scientists.
They just don’t trust farming and
science.
How do we change that?
Innovation ApplicationCOMMUNICATION

11. Scientists, ag producers, ag-related
industries failed to bridge that gap.

12. Scientists, ag producers, ag-related
industries failed to bridge that gap.
1.Where do we engage?
2.How do we do it effectively?

13. You Can Confirm Your Darkest FearsYou Can Confirm Your Darkest Fears
Online!Online!
There is big money being made off ofThere is big money being made off of
manufactured risk.manufactured risk.

14. Consumers are reacting to information
Pesticides
Antibiotics
Hormones
Fertilizer
Gluten
GMO
Water use
BPA
MSG
I don’t know what
to believe, so I just
won’t buy it.

15. FEAR FACTS
When we engage, we do it wrong.
Television doctors,
documentaries,
websites, internet
celebrities, media
chefs, absence
labeling.
Scientists, farmers,
ag industry

16. FEAR
FACTS
An Abundance of Soft Science
Activist groups,
fragile celebs with
empires, etc
Scientists, farmers,
ag industry
ERODE
TRUST
One-off studies, misinterpretation,
extrapolation, poor quality, bad
design, weak stats, unpublished.
Facty-Looking
Things

17. How do all of us become more effective
in communicating with a concerned
consumer?
Audience – Empathy – Values – (Evidence)--
Satisfaction -- Action

18. WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?
Most of the time these are
people that don’t know about
science and are concerned
about food. Share science with
them.
WHO IS NOT YOUR
AUDIENCE?
Many have no interest
in understanding facts.
They are not a good
investment of your time.

20. Must start with empathyMust start with empathy
Active listeningActive listening
Only move to next steps onceOnly move to next steps once
you understand their concerns,you understand their concerns,
and they know it.and they know it.

21. is a methodological presumption
made in seeking to understand a point
of view whereby we seek to
understand that view in its strongest,
most persuasive form before
subjecting the view to evaluation.
Help your opposition devise the
strongest argument you can.
Intellectual Charity

22. We live in a post-
truth world. Facts
don’t matter.
Post-truth politics (also called post-
factual politics) is a political culture in
which debate is framed largely by
appeals to emotion disconnected from the
details of policy, and by the repeated
assertion of talking points to which factual
rebuttals are ignored.
Truthiness

23. Lead With Your Ethics.Lead With Your Ethics.

24. State your priorities up front
Farmers
The Needy
Environment/Conservtion
Consumers

26. Old Way of Engaging
Engage deniers.
Here are the facts.
Here’s where you are
wrong
Ugh, you don’t get it.

27. Old Way of Engaging
Engage deniers.
Here are the facts.
Here’s where you are
wrong
Ugh, you don’t get it.
New Way of Engaging
Engage the curious.
I’m listening.
Why do you feel this way?
I understand why you’d feel
this way, right?
Here’s what is important to
me.
Here is the evidence that
supports my values.

28. What Evidence Do We Use?
Facts don’t matter (until you’ve established
trust).
How do we deliver factual information in a
post-truth world of science denial?
“We must ensure equal access and choice to
agricultural innovation that satisfies our
shared values.”

29. Keep Factual Information Simple.
Natural? -- Humans have always affected plant genetics. Nothing is
natural
Practical. Engineering (GMO) is a precise extension of plant breeding.
Risk “The techniques used pose no more risk (actually less risk) than
conventional breeding.” (NAS, AAAS, AMA, EFSA many others)
Safety. In 20 years of use in plants, there has not been one case of
illness or death related to these products.
Presence. In the USA there are several traits used in only 10 (- +)
commercial crops, four (corn, soy, canola, sugar beet) that are commonly
found in 70% of grocery store products.

30. “I don’t like modern food and farming
because it is not natural.”

31. Humans have always manipulated crop genetics

32. All existing crops and animals
have been radically reshaped by
humans, to enhance performance
that has aided the human
condition.

33. Animal Genetic Improvement
Slide courtesy Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam

34. “I don’t like modern food and farming
because it just benefits multinational
companies that control the food supply.”

35. “I don’t like modern food and farming
genetic technologies because they just
benefit multinational companies that
control the food supply.”
New technologies exist that satisfy our shared
values. They have not been used, mostly
because of public push-back, that builds
restrictive policy.

36. Don’t start with glyphosate tolerant and
insect resistant crops.
Producer benefits most, not consumer
If you do use these traits and can
personalize the message, it is useful.
What appeals to shared values?

37. Golden Bananas Beta carotene producing
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy

38. Bacterial Wilt in Bananas
>70% of carbohydrate calories for
some areas
GM trials in Uganda
X
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X

39. X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy

40. GE chickens do not pass on Avian Influenza
Episode 007
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
X
X
X Animal welfare

41. BS2 Tomato
A pepper gene in tomato eases bacterial wilt.
X
X Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy

42. -- sprays cut from >80 season of organophospates,
carbamates to 1-2.
-- Safer for farmers and consumers, better profits for
farmers.
Bangladesh Eggplant (brinjal)

43. Stopping Citrus Greening
Several genes show
promise
Earliest deregulation is
2019
X
Farmers
Consumers
Environment
Needy
X
X

44. Scientists, ag producers, ag-related
industries failed to bridge that gap.
1.Where do we engage?
2.How do we do it effectively?

45. Social media has been a
conduit for bad
information.
We need to take it back.

46. Dedicate 15 minutes a week to promote your
operation, discuss farming, food, or associated
science/technology– in social media space.
The 15 minute challenge.

47. Obtain a separate email account for this work.
Free ones at gmail, yahoo, etc.
Use your real name.
The 15 minute challenge.

48. Where to participate?
Comments-section discussions of news
articles
Facebook discussions
Twitter
Reddit
Linked In
The 15 minute challenge.

49. Where to participate?
Start a blog. Share your experience.
Interviews
The 15 minute challenge.

50. Engaging:
The 15 minute challenge.
1. Show them that you understand
2. Share your values, credentials
3. Tell your story.
Be nice. Represent ag/science with grace.

51. Engaging:
The 15 minute challenge.

52. Engaging:
The 15 minute challenge.

53. Engaging:
The 15 minute challenge.

54. Engaging:
The 15 minute challenge.

55. Embrace the abrasive - They are victims
The 15 minute challenge.

56. GET OUT OF YOUR ECHO CHAMBER
The 15 minute challenge.

57. The Power of Amplification and Networks
Pre-Internet
Now
10 k contacts

58. The Power of Amplification and Networks

59. The Emergence of Tribes and Echo Chambers

60. The Power of Amplification and Networks
Farmer Bloggers
Foodies Scientists
Mom Bloggers Triathletes

61. How do you get into those tribes?
Offer to write for them
Participate in the discussion sections of news
articles and websites.
Share your stories and experiences.
Ag producers are viewed as trusted and competent-
if you are not telling the story, someone will tell it for
you!

63. Always Remember:
Avoid “feed the world” rhetoric
Always discuss strengths and limitations
Don’t ever claim there is a single solution!
Never forget the real audience
Always acknowledge your blind spots.

64. #farm365
AMPLIFICATION

65. Amplify messages from experts.
Jennie Schmidt
Brian Scott
Sarah Schultz

66. Transparency.Transparency.
“If you take the time to describe it, you won’t have to
take the time to defend it.” - Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity

67. #FarmToPork
Changing the conversation
with “radical transparency”

69. Conclusion
Know your audience
Listen and understand their concerns
Talk about your values, your motivations
Discussion ag innovations that can satisfy your common
values
Participate in social media discussions
Be nice. Represent ag/science with grace.
Practice radical transparency

70. I don’t know what
to believe, so I
just won’t buy it.

71. kfolta.blogspot.com
@kevinfolta
kfolta@ufl.edu
www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com
iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM
Thank you.
All funding, reimbursement:
www.kevinfolta.com/transparency
All slides:
www.slideshare.net/kevinfolta

72. “Don’t tell me it can’t be done,
tell me what needs to be done
and help me do it.”