Category Archives: Agvocate

How to handle conversations on controversial food issues


Food Farm Agriculture Tips for Controversial Issues Conversations

It would be perfect if we could always discuss food and farms around the feed bunk, but we have to be prepared for conversations to pop up anywhere.

Whether it is a t shirt from an ag conference or a hat supporting a friend’s ranch, wearing Agriculture-related clothing never ceases to strike up a good conversation. This week was no exception.

There is a brewery in town that I love to frequent. They have good pizza, great burgers, and at least a dozen televisions from any vantage point with at least 4 different sports channels on. I was enjoying my burger yesterday when the couple next to me asks about my Livestock Judging hat.

We talked about the judging team in Kansas where I got the hat and being involved in FFA. Conversation goes to my work with cattle and they compliment that with, “we need more people like that.” I say, “Yes ma’am. Someone has to grow our food.” She says, “especially with all the chemicals and stuff they feed them that changes the genetic makeup of our bodies.“

How do you respond to a statement like that?

… I carried on the conversation about our local food options and they had some great suggestions on local meats I will have to try.

The couple from the brewery are locals and there’s a good chance that I will see them again, so hopefully there will be opportunity to dive deeper into the conversation about the “chemicals and stuff” that goes into our food chain.

Tips for approaching controversial topics

When engaging in conversations about food, farming, and agriculture, more often than not we end up involving emotion and ‘facts’ from an array of backgrounds. So how do you handle these controversial subjects?

The setting, time frame, and casualness of the conversation may limit the depth of the conversation. Below are helpful points to come prepared with when you approach the table for discussion.

  •  When possible, set the stage to avoid fear of retaliation from opposing viewpoints
    1. Listen respectfully, without interrupting
    2. Respect one another’s views
    3. Criticize ideas, not individuals
    4. Commit to learning, not debating
    5. Avoid blame and speculation
    6. Avoid inflammatory language
  • Consider your own biases or confusion surrounding the issue
  • Recognize the diversity of the group. This is an asset and can lead to authentic conversation
  • Set a framework and objectives for the discussion that lead to engagement and consideration of opposing viewpoints
  • When possible provide a foundation and context for better understanding
  • As a moderator, foster civility and prepare to deal with tense or emotional moments
  • At the end of the conversation summarize and reflect, then always leave the door open for follow-up conversations.

The other members of the conversation may not have these tools in their belt, but sometimes it only takes one level-headed person to make a difference in the discussion. Learn more about preparing for difficult conversations and find more resources, in this link.

Opportunity for food conversation exists all around. You just have to pay attention. Sometimes it’s not about converting, educating, or even debating. Once in a while it’s just important to leave a good impression.

As my friend Janice says, there are times it’s best to choose the middle ground. But if you still have an itching to engage in an argument, my friends at Just Farmers have shared some tips you need to read first.

Related links where I’ve discussed how to approach food and farm conversations:

Earth Day 2013 – An Opportunity for #FarmVoices


Food is important to everyone. No Farms. No Food. It is important that connection be made.

Agriculture impacts everyone and has an important story to be told. If you’ve been a subscriber of this blog for very long, you know that I am a huge believer in this and I encourage everyone involved in the Agriculture community to make their voices heard. The time has passed when we can sit on the sidelines and listen to the mainstream media and general public bash the integrity of our food producers. We are a minority and it’s time we make our voices heard. Dodge RAM launched the 2013 – Year of the Farmer campaign with the “So God Made a Farmer” Superbowl ad, and it’s only appropriate we carry that message forward.

At the same time it is even more important that we are able to listen to our customers and their concerns. Until we are able to accomplish that, we will find it difficult to make progress.

Have a question for farmers and ranchers about their impact on our environment? Leave a comment below or submit on the Ask a Farmer tab!

Farmers and ranchers have a huge impact on our environment and most are aware of their efforts to make improvements for the next generation. If you take a moment to read the headlines, books from best-selling authors, or watch popular daytime television, a person could be easily persuaded otherwise. Misperceptions about farming and food production abound.

On Earth Day 2013, April 22, a group originating in Canada is encouraging us to make a statement about the future of Agriculture. Their objectives are made in the video above and in this statement:

Young people have been at the forefront of every important social movement in history. #FarmVoices is raising the profile of farmers by sharing their stories with the world, one image at a time. It’s. Our. Turn.

The FarmOn group and #FarmVoices campaign encourages the Agriculture community to share its message on Earth Day (April 22) through images that answer these 3 questions:

  • What do you love about farming?
  • What challenge do you face that threatens your ability to farm?
  • How do you care for your land and animals?

Please take a moment to share this message online through social media or through any events or activities you are involved in for Earth Day. Tag your posts with #FarmVoices.

The above images and video come from the FarmOn website. Learn more about the message and download more photos and materials at FarmOn.com or the Facebook page.

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Agriculture Proud – It all started on National Ag Day


3 years! Can you believe it? Prior to National Ag Day 2010, I was involved in social media and advocating for the agriculture industry, but I had yet to really find my spot. That all changed with one tweet. I posted my response on the Working Ranch magazine blog I was writing at the time and received far more response than I could have ever imagined. That planted the seed for this blog and the I am Agriculture Proud theme I use across several Social Media platforms.

Why are YOU Agriculture Proud?

earth day we will farm on flyerI feel it appropriate to share those original thoughts on National Agriculture Day 2013 and encourage you to do the same.

Here’s the original Agriculture Proud blog post from 2010:

It is National Agriculture Day! Did you thank a farmer and rancher for their hard work to produce the food that ends up on your plate? If not, you should do it today, as well as the other 364 days in the year.

In case you missed it, this was National Agriculture Week; a week for the celebration of agriculture and an opportunity to educate the public about the good story we have to tell. Since I was on the couch for half of the week (wisdom teeth were just cut out on Spring Break), I had the opportunity to follow several conversations on Social Media about the event. There are so many stories being told about what agvocates are doing to spread the word about agriculture. One post caught my eye when someone asked the question “Why are you proud to be a part of Agriculture?”

Why am I proud to be a part of the cattle industry? For starters, it is what my family does for a living, so there is a bit of family pride in it for me. Despite having four other siblings at home, I am the only one that has taken a strong interest in working with cattle. When my dad reaches the age where he can no longer take care of the place, and I have had my fill of the world, I plan to return home and help him run things.

The more political answer to that question is that I am humbled by the knowledge that each of our cattle feeds a family somewhere in the world. This means our cattle not only provide the beef in our family freezer, but also the freezer of a family in California, Virginia, Japan, and Australia. The meat shelves at grocery stores around the world are filled with safe, quality American beef, and I am proud to know that I had a hand in that. Today the average US producer feeds 155 people in a growing global market.

Family Cattle Farmer Ag DayI get a personal satisfaction out of being a small producer. There is a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day when the cattle are fed, the newborn calves are off to a good start, and a few more chores are marked off the to-do list. A hard day’s work put in on the family’s place is a job well done. There is nothing like being out in the pasture and just soaking it all up on a wonderful summer day.

Media and animal rights groups are throwing around the “factory farm” label for American agriculture today, but the truth is the cattle industry continues to remain a relatively small-minded industry. I took a minute to study the 2007 US Ag census data today and found that 89% (728,992) of cattle operations have an inventory of less than 100 head, making up 40% (29,858,211) of the US cattle inventory. The average inventory for US cattle operations is just short of 91 head. Does not sound like much of a “factory” now does it? Sure, there are 665 operations with more than 2,500 cattle but they only make up 0.08% of the operations and 6% of the national inventory.

The cattle industry may be growing, some operations may be getting larger, but the small operations will always be the grassroots of the industry. What makes you proud to be a part of the cattle industry? Let me hear about it. Find me on Facebook or Twitter.

Here’s to many more great travels, connections, and years of agvocacy, because I AM Agriculture Proud. Thank You to everyone who has helped me along the way! Here’s to the start of year number 4!

Angus Association visits me in Tennessee [Video]


I am Angus - Ryan GoodmanThe American Angus Association is one of the largest organizations within the cattle industry and does a great job showcasing the hard-working cattle producers across the country. Along with numerous print publications, the Angus folks have a great online presence. Their YouTube channel is full of videos featuring great news and information for cattle farmers and those looking to learn more about beef cattle production.

Young Bull Management

Late last summer I had a great opportunity to work with the folks at the Angus Association. They came out to the University farm in Spring Hill, TN and filmed a few segments with us. The first segment aired on the weekly Angus Report on RFD-TV back in October. Middle Tennessee Research and Education Center Director, Kevin Thompson, shared some great tips with cattle producers who are interested in better management for their young herd bulls.

I am Angus – Social Media for Cattle Industry

The second segment aired this past January on the I am Angus show, also on RFD-TV. In this segment I shared some information for those looking to share more information about agriculture and encouraged other cattle producers to join the conversations about food and farming through the use of social media. I also discussed the importance of mentors for younger generations within the cattle industry and some of my future plans within the cattle industry.

Be sure to check out more of the videos on the American Angus Association’s YouTube channel and let them know you appreciate their work to share the stories of cattle farmers and ranchers from across the country. They are doing their part to share the honest story of agriculture with the world and you should too!

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