Feed The People With Food And Food For Thought [Opinion]
December 19, 2014 
Lisa Lochridge
The age-old question for those of us in this business never seems to go away: What can we do to better educate the public about agriculture and why it’s so important?
It’s a daunting question. And when you look at it broadly, it seems like an impossible task. America has moved far from its farming roots. Florida has become so urbanized that coastal residents have no inkling that only a few miles inland are farms that produce fresh produce for the entire country this time of year. In pondering this question, I’m reminded of the riddle: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
Besides looking at the challenge from an industrywide perspective, it’s helpful to take a step back and think about what you can do as an individual and through smaller groups. First, you have to be passionate about agriculture and willing to engage those around you to talk about what you do — even (and maybe especially) the critics. You may not bring every one of them around, but at least you’ve had a conversation.
Communication Is King
Indeed, many in the industry are doing just that. A few years ago I met Ryan Goodman, author of the blog “Agriculture Proud.” If you haven’t read the blog, you should check it out. A native of Arkansas where his family is in cattle ranching, Goodman is young, energetic, and passionate about agriculture. He uses his blog as a platform to set people straight on misconceptions about the industry in a clear, reasoned way. And there are others who are doing the same thing.
Here in Florida, the Agriculture Institute of Florida is doing its part. It’s a decades-old network of communications professionals and others in the industry whose goal is to educate and empower individuals and organizations to communicate more effectively about Florida agriculture. FFVA holds a leadership role in the organization.
The Ag Institute just finished a strong year during which it focused on informing elected officials about issues of critical importance to agriculture.
First, in conjunction with Farm Credit, the Ag Institute sponsored its Candidates Forum last September. The forum gave candidates for governor and state Cabinet offices an opportunity to present their agriculture platforms to more than 250 industry leaders. The event, which is held every four years, also featured a straw poll for those races.
Attending were Gov. Rick Scott, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Attorney General Jeff Atwater addressed the crowd in videotaped remarks. Joining the incumbents were Thad Hamilton, challenger in the agriculture commissioner’s race, and William Rankin, Atwater’s opponent. Scott, Putnam, Bondi, and Atwater were winners in the event’s straw poll — and ultimately victors in their respective races.
Out And About
Later in the fall, the Agriculture Institute of Florida Foundation expanded its outreach and education efforts by hosting several congressional staffers on a South Florida farm tour. It was a valuable experience that gave participants a firsthand look at a variety of crops and production practices and allowed them to talk one-on-one with growers and ranchers about the issues of the day.
The group’s stops included Lipman Produce in Loxahatchee; Hundley Farms, A. Duda and Sons, and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative in Belle Glade; sugar cane production hosted by U.S. Sugar Cooperative in Clewiston and the Hilliard Brothers’ cattle operation in Clewiston; and Duda’s citrus groves in Felda.
Educating key staff members of Florida’s delegation about critical issues facing the industry helps to strengthen Florida agriculture’s voice in Washington, D.C.
There’s no doubt that the challenge of educating the public is significant. However, there’s something each of us can be doing. How might you work on “eating the elephant?”
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