Farmers Must Adapt To A Changing World View [Opinion]
December 26, 2014 
As we start a new year, it is worth taking a few minutes to consider how the world has changed in recent times, especially for agriculture. In a relatively short period, technology and access to instant information has turned growing food into a much more consumer-oriented business.
During the 2014 Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference, investor Dykes Everett gave a great presentation on trends that will impact your business in the future. One of his key take-home points was Millennials are leading the way now as the largest population demographic.
If you are about 40 or older, there’s a fair chance you see the world differently than the Millennials. Or, on the hand, the Millennials might be influencing or changing the way you see the world.
The Millennials, and society in general, have embraced notions about agriculture from the perspective of a well-fed people several generations removed from the farm. If your Facebook wall looks anything like mine, people these days have some pretty unrealistic ideas about how farming ought to be.
But, Everett pointed out in his presentation that’s the world we live in, and ignoring these trends will not make them go away. Like it or not, he noted that organics are huge with Millennials. That’s great if you are an organic grower, but could be cause for concern for conventional farmers.
A recent survey of Floridians by the University of Florida’s Public Issues Education (PIE) Center, gives some insights on consumer trends. Respondents were asked to rank 10 public issues based on importance. The economy, health care, and water were at the top of the list. Food production landed in 8th place just below housing and foreclosures and ahead of immigration.
Ninety-four percent of respondents had at least some worry about pesticide residues in food and 91% had similar concerns about antibiotics. You think social media is driving any of these results?
The survey also showed consumers have generally negative perceptions about GMOs. Most say they believe the government is not properly regulating genetically engineered crops. They overwhelming agree GMOs tamper with nature and tend to agree it threatens the environment. Respondents were split on whether GMOs could solve world hunger. While people had opinions about GMOs, 59% of them said they didn’t know or were not sure about the science behind the technology.
All of this tells me you are doing a good job feeding these people. They are driving food trends and replying to surveys with their hearts and not their bellies. And, they are not feeling too much pain in the pocketbook.
To the heart, the ideal would be to plant a produce seed and irrigate it only with rainfall (to save water) and grow it off in a pest-free environment (no chemicals) and then magically harvest itself (fair food) and finally transport itself (no fossil fuels) to the grocery store.
OK, that’s probably a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much. Reality and emotions are sometimes two different things — but, hey — the heart wants what the heart wants.
As exasperating as it is, that leaves you with a couple of options that I can see. No. 1: Grow more to the tastes of these consumers and capitalize on their world view, regardless if you believe it is well informed or not.
Or, No. 2: We all must do a heck of a lot better job to educate the public about agriculture and the realities of producing an abundant, affordable, and safe food supply.
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