We know you can walk the walk, but can you talk the talk? Translating farm terminology is a skill that may be more important now than it ever has been.
Every culture has a unique lingo, and agriculture is no exception. When so much time is spent within one industry or culture, it can become easy to forget that the outside world may have no idea why a pioneer would be relevant in a conversation about planting corn or what an “eighty” is. People want to know what’s going on in the world of farming and to find their own connection to the industry and the people in it. A sure way to make someone feel like they belong is to let them in on all the inside jokes and language. Translating farm lingo is a skill in and of itself, and it’s one that may be more important today than ever. Not only do farmers have to talk the talk face-to-face, but also screen-to-screen.
Illinois Farm Bureau’s consumer engagement efforts are centered on the goal of building trust between non-ag consumers and modern farming practices. People outside of agriculture are curious about farming and are interested in learning more about what farmers do, the challenges farmers face, and where their food comes from — especially when it comes directly from farmers. Learning a whole new vocabulary along the way can feel daunting.
Building trust in farmers, farming, and modern farming practices is important in a world where it is easy to get lost in all the negative voices. Agriculturalists and farmers carry the responsibility of being experts in their fields and knowing how to communicate with diverse audiences. In a time when the outside world is searching for its own connection to farming and agriculture, we must make sure we share everything in a way that people can understand and relate to. Knowing how to communicate about the big things is important but be sure not to overlook the connection that comes from sharing what the little things mean to you, too. Little things often make up our everyday lives, and getting a glimpse into the everyday is a way that non-ag audiences can start to see farmers as trustworthy.
Follow along for this new series all about how to translate farm vocabulary for non-ag audiences: Talk the Talk. Today, I present Talk the Talk: Summer’s Version.
What’s going on in the summer?
As crops start to mature in the fields over the summer, field signs can be seen next to the lush, green fields of soybeans. Farmers know that these indicate different varieties of soybeans and help identify and promote what was used. These unique identifiers represent how this soybean is different from the next one and so on.
You know that farmers plant multiple varieties to optimize yields by pairing characteristics of certain varieties with the challenges and opportunities offered field-to-field. For example, some soybean varieties are more tolerant of ‘wet feet’ – in other words, they don’t mind their roots sitting in soil that takes a little longer to dry out as much as other varieties. Average consumers probably do not know — or care — about optimizing yields or how growing conditions may vary field-to-field or even within a field. But they do care about the environment, lower food, product, and fuel costs, and access to options. Suddenly, the question “Hey, what do all of those letters and numbers mean?” becomes a conversation about ways farmers ensure the environment is cared for and that they are producing enough soybeans to meet the demand consumers expect. Those signs portraying different brands and seeds may look like a math equation, but they can open the door to a bigger conversation about how farmers make decisions.
Summer is the time to protect crops as they grow and mature. One tool in farmers’ crop protection toolbox includes pesticide application. Pesticides may be used a few different times throughout the growing season – in fact, you may have seen a tractor driving through the field or a plane flying over a field spraying a liquid. Pesticides work to protect crops against pests like weeds, insects, and diseases. While it may appear that farmers are using a lot of pesticide based on what is coming out of the sprayer, most if it is actually water, which works as a carrier to make sure the small amounts of pesticide are being distributed evenly throughout the field. If you look closely enough on a clear summer day, you may see little yellow planes that appear to be dive-bombing fields of corn. Crop dusters refer to these planes that appear to be “dusting” crops with the white cloud that trails the plane. There are also sprayers attached to helicopters and now even drones. Farmers are all about efficiency, which is why there are several ways to spray crops during the summer. We know that often, the window to spray is narrow, so using several methods of spraying ensures the crops get what they need, when they need it, so yields remain strong and farmers can keep providing products the public needs.
While yields are a measurement of how much of a crop can be harvested, measuring yields also helps farmers determine how productive their land is, whether the inputs they used worked as they should, and whether there are things that could be adjusted next year, like the variety of seed being used
Why does it all matter?
Spring and fall may be the traditional busy seasons for a farmer, but that doesn’t mean that summer is a slow season. Surely, there isn’t much to do while crops grow, right? While most work is happening behind the scenes, farmers are actively monitoring and managing their crop to do what they can to ensure good crop yields. Remember that consumers care about what connects to their lives. While yields are a measurement of how much of a crop can be harvested, measuring yields also helps farmers determine how productive their land is, whether the inputs they used worked as they should, and whether there are things that could be adjusted next year, like the variety of seed being used. All of these things mean that demand for corn- and soybean-derived products can be met. Using yields as a measuring tool is helpful, but it is also not always the full picture. Weather can also play an important role, good or bad, in what yields are that year. A summer that is too dry or too wet can affect yields, just as not being able to spray in the necessary window can. Pests like weeds and disease can also take a toll on plants in ways that affect yields. This is a great opportunity to talk about the environment and why farmers work to protect it. So much of a farmer’s livelihood can be dependent on weather and the environment; of course they are working to protect it.
How you say it
The moral of this story is that general audiences are curious about what’s going on in the summer, and you, the expert, get to engage them in a way that is understood on all sides. You may find there will be less pushback on certain topics when you relate what is going on to areas that people care about or find relatable. The examples shared above are not a comprehensive list but rather points to help put you into the minds of non-ag audiences. Whether you share in person or online, how you say it and connect is key to engaging in conversations about farming this summer.
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