'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in Agriculture is Over

ARLINGTON, Va.Communicating, forming relationships with consumers and  recognizing their concerns was the take-away message for attendees at the Animal Agriculture Alliance's 12th annual Stakeholders Summit.

"The era of 'don't ask, don't tell' in agriculture is over," said Dallas Hockman, vice president of industry relations for the National Pork Producers Council. A number of speakers at the Summit put the responsibility on the industry to communicate to consumers, instead of the other way around. The importance of identifying the industry's true stakeholders, asking those stakeholders what they want, and giving it to them was emphasized by David Wescott, director of digital strategy for APCO Worldwide.

In addition to communication, engagement and finding the "middle ground" consumers were themes also highlighted in the presentations.

"Consumers increasingly want to know more about their food and they increasingly are more and more skeptical about companies and industries that don't give them what they want to know," said Andy Vance, editor of Feedstuffs and speaker at the summit. He urged the industry to think about five or 10 things that it has issues with and to analyze those issues objectively. Learning how to interact with consumers, specifically moms, was a central topic also discussed.

The summit also empowered the industry's youth with Kansans State University Senior Greg Peterson presenting his videos "I'm Farming and I Grow it" and "Farmer Style." Several other college agricultural students also attended, namely the Animal Agriculture Alliance's 4th annual College Aggies Scholarship winners.

Lastly, a half-day "workshop" focused on crisis communications, employee hiring strategies and the intersection of the environmental and animal rights movements and how those partnerships affect agriculture.