Let’s Be Social

In a day and age where connection comes from social media, farmers and agriculturists must be present to build relationships with consumers.

If you have been to any professional conferences, training, talked to your neighbor recently, or just existed in a public space, social media has probably been a part of that experience. You may have the thought, “Why are we still talking about social media? – and you wouldn’t be alone. No longer just an online message board with fun usernames and emoticons, social media has evolved into sophisticated networking and community platforms that infiltrate our offline lives. “Follow us on social” messages are posted on business doors and printed at the bottom of restaurant menus and store receipts. Breaking news hits Facebook and TikTok faster than network TV.

Marketing professionals are constantly sharing and resharing about the power and scope of social media for good reasons – it’s not going away. In fact, it’s one of the fastest growing markets out there. Social media is overwhelming to learn inside out, annoying when anyone can claim to be an expert, and downright divisive because that’s what gets followers. Amidst that, social media is also the main place consumers get their news from: it’s joyful when people share their happy updates, and important because it provides human connection. So, the big question, why do you, an agriculturist or farmer, need to have a presence on social media?

Opportunity through connection

You may be thinking that it is not necessary to be present on social media because there are people for that. That would be correct – social media is now its own concentration at many colleges and universities and people are trained to know the ins and outs of social media from a business perspective. There is a place for that. However, consumers are more often turning to what they deem as authentic and real-life content as their most trustworthy sources. In the newly released 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, it is shown that overall consumer trust in larger institutions is declining, while trust in close, local circles is increasing. This is noteworthy for farmers to recognize as they are neighbors and often make up an important part of local culture in their communities which position farmers to be a trusted source of information. Another way to be considered a neighbor today? Connecting through social media.

Farmers and agriculturalists have the unique opportunity to be experts in a field that is constantly growing. Farmers must stay up to date on subjects such as markets, nutrition, and politics because it affects their livelihoods directly. For this reason, farmers are some of the most reliable places to turn to when talking about farming practices and our food. However, those outside of the agriculture industry may not know that and turn to the easiest source of information – not always the accurate one. It used to be safe to assume that if someone were from a small rural town they would know at least a little bit about modern farming, however, that is not the case today. This makes it even more crucial that farmers share their voices online so that they can reach that right around them.

Starting a professional page on social media can feel overwhelming if your view is that it has to be expertly polished. The good news is that it is not the case. In fact, people want authentic content that feels real. We have learned that some of the best performing content is when a farmer is talking directly to the camera (often just on their phone) or doing a day in the life and bringing followers along on the farm. Narrating your day and giving consumers a glimpse into the life of farming provides a strong connection point for them. Finding a connection point to consumers is easier than it may seem. Every parent can relate to running out of the door early trying to get everyone where they need to be. Everyone with a job can relate to timelines and budgets and yearly planning. Once you start building relationships by relating to your audience, that audience is more likely to trust you and your knowledge of important topics like farming.

Yes, social media is a lot and there is an argument to be made with staying away. However, there is a bigger argument to be made for ensuring that agriculture has a seat at the table where people make decisions about their day-to-day life. Social media is for better or worse a tool the average consumer uses to make decisions about their food and how it is grown. That fact alone makes it vital that we have farmers and agriculturists willing to share their story in a way that reaches the masses and shows a real look at how food is grown and our modern farming practices. It’s a guarantee that those against modern farming practices have a voice on social media – so agriculture and those that love the industry must show up and speak out, too.