Agriculture's Best Defense, is a Good Offense
A life spent dedicated to production agriculture teaches you that aggressive planning and strategizing pays off. For generations, these skills have been honed, perfected and passed on. Hours are spent detailing the precise methods and timing for calving, planting and feeding to gain every advantage possible. Proactively attacking invasive weeds or warding off illness in your calf crop through targeted offensive efforts has become innate to all generations of farmers and ranchers. As new production challenges arise, each generation cinches up and heads out to meet them head on.
Until now, most of the obstacles thrown in our path have been tangible and easily overcome through improved genetic selection, better vaccination practices and using new technology. However, the obstacles we face are constantly evolving.
Moving forward, some of the highest mountains we must ascend aren't concrete or tangible at all. They are so abstract, even the most seasoned agriculturalists struggle to grasp them. It will take a new breed of agriculturalist raised in the era of social media, mobile technology and cyber warfare to identify the potential outbreak of anti-agriculture politics and cure it through proactive consumer education.
In addition to his cow-calf and stocker operation, Chase Groves, 32, of Garland City, Ark., operates a custom fertilizer application and a pecan operation. He invests himself in the future of Arkansas agriculture through the Young Farmers and Ranchers Convention, as well as, lobbying for agriculturalists on Capitol Hill.
"Traditionally, agriculturalists have been very proactive with regards to the care and stewardship of their land and cattle," Groves says. "However, our initial response to out-side antagonisms has generally been defensive in nature. We need to flip the script moving forward and be on the offensive.
"Consumers are our partners and we need to treat them as such. Our generation must recognize and embrace the role we have to play in protecting what our fathers and grandfathers shed blood, sweat and tears to pass down," he adds.
Those of us submersed in a life-time on the farm don't realize the amount of disconnected generations that exist beyond the barbed wire and corn rows. Understanding there is a need to educate and reconnect with consumers is like adapting variable rate fertilizer application due to its substantial efficiencies or recognizing the benefits of value-added marketing. This is simply the next peak agriculture has to traverse. New generation producers have to embrace this reality and muster the same initiative our forebearers always have.
"It's our future, and we are the generation most equipped to meet this challenge," Groves says. "We understand technology, social media, education and branding as well as the impact they have on creating a positive partnership with consumers. We have a story to tell that includes hard work, passion, family and stewardship. And, it's a good one," he says.
Jared Wareham specializes in brand development, marketing, customer service, beef genetics and education. In addition to writing and public speaking, he manages one of the largest commercial seedstock businesses in the Midwest. You can contact him at: beefsolutions@gmail.com or (660) 492-2777
Note: This story appears in the November/December issue of Drovers.
