In today’s world, consumers are faced with an onslaught of topics regarding the agricultural industry. Scientists, farmers and news media all play an informative role. This leaves industry communicators asking, where does the consumer turn for information?
According to the Pew Research Center, consumers opt for social and digital media as their primary information sources. This can present both opportunities and challenges; communicators can now connect directly with their consumer base, but the amount of information at hand can be overwhelming.
For communicators, using online media to create problem-solving messaging around agriculture has been a primary step for education. Combined with insights into how the average consumer solves problems, this understanding helps communicators influence decision-making processes and shape the agricultural messages consumers receive.
Emily Buck, professor of agricultural communication at The Ohio State University, dedicated much of her research to studying the issues most important to consumers, what influences them and how to best convey messaging around them.
“According to some recent research we have done, the issues that are most important to [consumers] ranking-wise are the environment first, then food production, followed by climate change, and livestock handling,” Buck said. “The environment right now is a huge topic for Ohio, considering the issues we’ve had at Lake Erie with algae blooms and a train derailment affecting water quality.”
It is also important to understand demographic influences, particularly with different age brackets and their specific concerns.
“If you think about the generation that’s most vocal as far as lobbying and regulation, it is the younger generation; the environment is really important to them,” Buck said. “The generation above, as parents, are more concerned about food and how to feed their families.”
In general, Buck's research has explored opinions on a variety of agricultural issues, but she said food security and quality are always of top importance to Ohioans when observing those issues in the media.
“We’ve seen in the last 10 to 20 years, the trend that consumers have become much more interested in food and where it comes from,” Buck said. “There’s a large part of the population wanting to understand where food comes from, and then there's a majority of people who are just looking for food that’s affordable.”
External influences, such as politics and legislature, also play a significant role in shaping what information is deemed relevant and valuable to consumers. During the 2024 presidential campaign, politicians discussed environmental issues, which subsequently gained more attention in the media. Buck said topics rarely make it onto the political agenda without also capturing the interest of the consumer base.
Another external influence on consumers is the people with whom they associate, both in person and through digital connections. Friends, family, colleagues and social media networks shape opinions and preferences by sharing information, experiences and values.
“We still see consumers turn to family or friends for information; being influenced by those around them and their opinions on topics,” Buck said. “That also applies to who they surround themselves with on social media, which affects the news they hear and side of the issue they are getting.”
Consumers have access to a wealth of information, but this poses the issue of what is dependable to them in content and delivery. Buck said the disproportion of agricultural education in rural versus urban areas, along with a decline in trust in science following the COVID-19 pandemic, creates major obstacles for effective communication.
“Mistrust in science is huge because agriculture is a science,” Buck said. “The person getting our message out is important, and farmers are some of the best people to put that information out because they connect the science in a way that consumers understand.”
While farmers are often seen as trusted and relatable sources of information in the eyes of consumers, scientists and their communication teams also play a crucial role by providing accurate, research-based insights. These teams work to make scientific information accessible and understandable, ensuring the public has reliable resources to complement the perspectives shared by farmers.
Monica Lewandowski, associate professor of plant pathology at The Ohio State University, said finding ways to communicate issues to stakeholders and the consumer is a priority. Lewandowski served on the American Phytopathological Society Public Relations and Outreach Board, creating effective methods to communicate plant health issues with the public.
“We established strategies to communicate scientific topics with the general public, which included training our members on how to communicate with the media and others,” Lewandowski said. “This included things like science communication training on the importance of healthy crops and how to relay talking points in an understandable way regarding food production.”
Lewandowski, in her position, also dealt firsthand with some of the biggest struggles facing the industry in communicating important topics.
“Consumers today are getting a lot of information online and from the media, some may be biased or even outright spreading misinformation, which has shaped perceptions of our food and agricultural industry,” Lewandowski said. “Many people have strong opinions about our food system yet may not have ever worked directly in agriculture.”
Lewandowski said working in agricultural and scientific communication is important for conveying a more realistic and balanced view of food systems and the industry as a whole. To mitigate misinformation, she said the best course of action is to counter it with correct and comprehensive information.
Looking ahead to the future of agricultural communication, it is crucial to anticipate how information will evolve and flow over time. Equally important is educating the next generation and addressing critical issues in agriculture with clarity and impact.
“We have generations now who are very inquisitive, who want to understand the things around them and ask questions, which means we will be continually asked to explain these topics,” Buck said. “Explaining the science and human connection to what we do in agriculture will always be something that is important for us to talk about.”