During county Farm Bureau Annual Meeting season several years ago, one of our county leaders reminded fellow farmers and ranchers, “We need to communicate better with the public about what we do.” Impassioned and clear, he was telling the group of farm and ranch leaders it is time to step up. He added, “I’m the first to admit, I need to do more.”

At Arizona Farm Bureau, the Advocacy, Communications, Member Engagement and Ag Education teams take pride in elevating the Arizona agriculture story to our various audiences. But it’s not quite enough. Additionally, our impact is never as valuable as yours, the farmer or rancher.  

On a social media channel when Rancher John or Jane speaks, it’s so much richer than when a Farm Bureau staffer tells the Arizona agriculture story. Maybe a better way phrase, “It takes everyone to engage the public in our farm and ranch stories.

Steps to Getting to the “Do”

Our family farmed up until 2005. So, I get how hard it is to even conceive of launching a social media channel (X, Facebook, Instagram, and more). Or tolerating a media query. Or, pausing long enough to go into your child’s classroom to read to the class an ag-accurate book (even virtually today).

There is hope though and for even the busiest of us, it can be done.

  1. Be original, be you. Your best focus for the context of telling farming and ranching is your story. Begin to accept that even what seems mundane to you is fascinating to someone in the public who has no concept of farming or ranching. Saddled up a horse all your life to ride fence? Boring to you?! Not to Joe or Jane Public.
  2. Pick just one channel in social media: Decide if you are more comfortable using Instagram, X or Facebook. Not to brag but Arizona Farm Bureau is on every channel imaginable, well except Tic Tok and Snapchat. If you have got questions, call one of us on staff.
  3. Dedicate a time each day or week or month: One of our winegrower members once told me, “Julie, I devote about 15 to 20 minutes early in the morning to my social media channels then I’m done for the day, and I don’t worry about it for the rest of the time.” Most in the retail farming and ranching space get it, but others should too. Plus, more and more farmers have now shared with us that they’re working with the younger generation to help them with outreach on the social media platforms.
  4. Especially for Retail farmers, make a small sign that you always place next to the produce and/or animal ag when you are on your channel or about to take a photo. Don’t just take a picture of tomatoes. They could be anyone’s. But, if you grew them, place the sign by your wonderfully grown tomatoes so viewers know for sure they are yours. This is called brand awareness. Your farm logo should show up everywhere that you do.
  5. Engage. So, I can’t convince you to open an X account (or use the one you opened but never post on). Fine. But remember every conversation you have with a supplier, family friend, colleague or new acquaintance might be an opportunity to talk about your farming and ranching life. Don’t preach, just listen and find that opening to tell your agriculture story.
  6. Celebrate. New achievements on the farm and ranch? Are market prices finally coming up? Anything new or different becomes something to tell. Even if you don’t want to explain it call us at Arizona Farm Bureau and we’ll help you celebrate a win. We need more of those in agriculture right now.
  7. Exploit all the resources found through our Ag Education program: Parents of children still in the home often feel the greatest conviction in helping in some way in the schools. Several of the Farm Bureau counties make a priority of supporting the Ag in the Classroom program with some of the farmer and rancher volunteers continuing to host tours, go into the classrooms and even participate as a “pen pal” with a classroom. If you want to discover all our resources, go to https://www.azfb.org/Agriculture-in-the-Classroom.

Just can’t tolerate the idea of engaging the public? Arizona Farm Bureau and your commodity-specific associations will still be here for you and help you. We always want big wins when it comes to connecting with the public but like dating, it’s usually a series of tiny steps that lead up to helping the mutual parties discover there is truly something there.

Editor’s Note: To get your story told, contact Julie Murphree at juliemurphree@azfb.org. She’ll help you determine a plan of action. This story, with updated information, we run periodically to help our farm and ranch leaders tell their story. Feel free to share how you share your story about what you do on the farm and ranch.