There are always groups in the community who believe commercial livestock farming should simply not exist, and the animal rights movement is powerful and well organised. Cox Inall consultant PETA MACDOUGALL asks whether agriculture can better use communication to build a bank of goodwill with communities and consumers and demystify what happens down on the farm.
A QUICK look around my local supermarket shows without doubt that pressure from the animal rights movement and the community’s changing expectations are driving the type of food that we are offered by the big retailers.
The “free from…” movement is obviously strong – free from cages, free from hormones and free from sow stalls, not to mention the organic, vegan and RSPCA approved brands as well.
The response in some cases of animal rights activity in the US has been to go on the counter-attack, using legal action and new laws to curb the activists’ access to farms. This has only added fuel to the debate in the wider community about what is actually happening on rural properties behind closed doors.
Leading communications theory academics advocate the opposite approach – dealing with interest groups or activist group pressure by addressing contentious topics before they become full-blown issues by inviting public participation and community involvement.
“The only option is become even more open and transparent”
So how does this translate for agricultural industries in Australia today trying to operate in an environment where the next campaign is only a YouTube video in the making?
I believe the only option is become even more open and transparent, with farmers engaging with communities, consumers and the general public to build a bank of goodwill, which will hold the industry in good stead as the animal rights movement gains even more traction.
One of the best ways to communicate the positive stories and messages of such geographically diverse farmers and industries is though the power of the Internet and social media to (metaphorically) throw open the farm gate, rather than slamming it shut and throwing away the key.
There are a number of groups doing a great job of engaging with communities and consumers, removing the mystery of how our food is produced. On Facebook ‘Ask an Aussie Farmer’ and ‘Ringer from the Top End’ together have almost 24,000 followers. There is also FarmDay, MLA’s Target 100, the Year of the Farmer (2012) and the many activities by industry bodies and farmers organisations.
Another important example is the Sydney Royal Easter Show, where almost a million people pass through the gates every year (many with little or no connection to rural Australia) and have the opportunity to see agriculture in action.
“Everyone who works in agriculture .. can promote the positive messages that ag has to share”
The power of social media means that everyone who works in agriculture or lives in rural communities can participate in promoting the positive messages and images that agriculture has to share. This could be as simple as posting photos and movies on Facebook to sharing content from industry bodies and farmer organisations like the National Farmers’ Federation.
There is still a lot of work to be done to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers who are every generation further and further removed from life on the land, but every post and tweet helps.
