Engaging the Community Key for Animal Agriculture

The Animal Agriculture Alliance just completed their 30^th anniversary summit with a simple message.

Vice President of Communications Hannah Thompson-Weeman sums it up.

“However you are involved in animal agriculture, we all need to engage and connect with consumers, connect with key influencers and make sure that the perception that they have of animal agriculture is accurate and positive and that they feel confident supporting our industry and buying our product.”

That connection can happen on social media by posting pictures, videos, stories, etc. or by hosting farm tours and showcasing how your operation works, or some other method.

Thompson-Weeman said one of the biggest challenges is becoming proactive.

“Sometimes we’re up against consumers who either don’t have any knowledge of the industry, or what they have heard is negative and not true. That can be a roadblock, but if we can be proactive and try to get out ahead of some of these issues and tell our story before there’s something negative we’re responding to, it puts us in a much better position.”

The Animal Ag Alliance is posting videos from the Summit on their website, AnimalAgAlliance.org.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail krounce@cherrycreekradio.com.