Women In Ag Group Seeks Change For Big Ag

At the just concluded annual convention of American Agri-Women, held in St. Louis, MO, a new project was unveiled that organizers hope will help boost consumers’ opinions of American farming. The effort, loosely dubbed “Common Ground”, will attempt to put a more feminine, friendly and empathetic face on production agriculture by using women farmers to appeal to suburban and urban grocery shoppers.

The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported, “The image of American agriculture has suffered a few punches in recent years, but ‘Big Ag’ has a secret weapon it hopes will soften the blows: women.”

“We’re a unique voice because we’re also moms. We’re the ones getting the food on the table,” said Chris Wilson, president of American Agri-Women and lifelong farmer, who is originally from Illinois. “We make a good connection with consumers.”

“Farmers feel misunderstood. With Michael Pollan and Food Inc., large agriculture has become the devil, and local and organic is all good,” said Amy Nuccio, of public relations firm Osborn & Barr, referring to the best-selling author and award-winning documentary, both of which are highly critical of large-scale agriculture. “We were searching for a meaningful way to have an impact on that.”

In coming months, the project will roll out in five states — Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, South Dakota and Nebraska. Project leaders will train women farmers to be spokespersons and will work to get their message out via social media, partnerships with grocery stores and media outreach efforts.

Common Ground tapped 23 year old, South Dakotan, Laura Nielson, to be its face and messenger. “There’s a lot of misunderstanding,” said Nielson. “We have to keep getting bigger — A, to survive, B, to keep providing all the food that’s needed. Farms aren’t what they were.” ◆