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Professional Development Workshops 2/26

Agricultural Issues in the Media: Editorial Panel

ACT members discussed current media issues with working professionals in the fourth session of the Professional Development Conference, entitled “Agricultural Issues in the Media.” The three expert panelists were Susan Crowell from Farm and Dairy, Kyle Sharp from Ohio’s Country Journal, and Danielle Elias from 10 TV News.

While Crowell and Sharp represented a direct agriculture perspective, Elias seemed to bring a unique point of view that stories would only be highlighted if we could show some deeper meaning or relevance to the general public.

All the panelists agreed on several issues, including making sure to present both sides of an issue as a journalist, making sure not to insert your own opinion unless you are in an editorial section, and that networking is crucial to a successful career in communications. All panel members stressed that writing skills are necessary in any facet of communications, and that companies are looking to hire hard-working, flexible employees with initiative.

Elias summed up the conversation in a compelling way when saying “If you tell it in a compelling way, people will want to listen, people will want to watch.”

Professional Lunch- Hinda Mitchell, CMA Consulting

As the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow we are facing a new horizon of consumer interest. It is our responsibility to be a part of the conversation, sharing the need for agriculture to survive. NACT members were fortunate to hear from Hinda Mitchell of CMA Consulting.  Her first hand experience with HSUS and Ohio policy gave students an insight as to the strength that grassroots advocacy can present for agriculture. Mitchell’s strategic coalition building helped to guide Ohio legislature to support the rational implementation of a bi-partisan supported Livestock Care Standards Board that used expert knowledge to set standards which extended the humanitarian voice that all agriculturalists represent.

Consumer Communications & Branding

Certified Angus Beef is a prime example of using creativity and ingenuity to build an agricultural communications effort. What originally started with a farmer who was simply dissatisfied with his meal had become a successful widespread marketing campaign leaving other imitators training behind.

CAB’s Emily Agle explained to PDC attendees in the second professional development session the keys and secrets to CAB’s success. She explained that to create a successful brand, you first have to ensure you have engaged, passionate staff at all levels of the project. Also, ensuring the reputation of your brand name is key to making sure you are successful. Agle said it was really more about brand relevance instead of brand awareness.

“Protecting a brand’s value is more important than increasing market share,” Agle explained. She also gave a simple checklist to create a successful brand or logo. Make sure brands are simple, consistent, relevant, fit into the context of your audience, and have thought or reason behind them.

Branding for Landing- Ohio Farm Bureau Federation

Dan Toland, Communications Specialist for Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, presented “Branding for Landing: using social media as a real-time resume to jump start your career to ACT members Saturday morning. “It’s personal branding through discovery and putting it to work,” Toland said. “You should start preparing yourself to communicate with various audiences.” The tool of the trade is to find opportunities and communities using Facebook, Twitter and Google searches. Tips for the tool of trade are: 1) Find real opportunities for feedback to showcase expertise and develop conversations. 2) Provide various ways for people to connect by being proactive. 3) Be consistent, don’t just “set it and forget it.” 4) Develop your own voice and have fun. You can follow Dan on Twitter at www.twitter.com/d-toland.

 

Amish Dinner 2/25 Evening

ACT members had the cultural experience of a lifetime. Despite inclement weather, members enjoyed a traditional Amish meal. In a barn powered by natural gas, members enjoyed networking and a great meal of fried chicken graciously hosted by the Miller family and their Amish community. During the meal, individuals learned about the Amish culture. The farm owner talked to the group about some of the customs for the community that relies on horse-drawn carriages for transportation. Alternatively, should they need to travel more than about 30 miles, they get a ride from their “English” neighbors, as they refer to those outside of the Amish culture. Typically, the men work in carpentry or farming alongside their sons while the women tend to the household and children go to school from first to eighth grade. Despite our cultural differences, they said they enjoy recreational games such as volleyball and skiing. ACT members enjoyed not only the wonderful food and hospitality, but had the opportunity to purchase Amish crafts to bring home.  Concluding the meal, it was evident a bond of fellowship formed.

Industry Tours 2/25

International Agriculture

As agriculture communicators our message is only as effective as the power with which it resonates with our audience. With a globalized world economy we are required to constantly know the greater picture of change occurring in our industry. But maybe the most effective way to capitalize on export markets is to focus on the personalized needs of each individual firm. That’s exactly what the Ohio Department of Agriculture seeks to do. Through their new Export  Fellowship program students develop a strategic plan personalized to individual Ohio firms for export market concentration. In looking to develop their program the Ohio Department of Agriculture asked NACT members about the most effective ways to communicate their message. This is the great leap that organizations such as NACT help students make, applying classroom education to real world application and ingenuity.

Ohio Proud

Lori Panda, Senior Program Member of Ohio Proud Programs talked to ACT members Friday morning about Ohio Proud Marketing Programs. The program was developed in 1993 to create awareness of Ohio’s products. The Ohio Proud slogan is Made in Ohio – Grown in Ohio. “The mission of Ohio Proud is to create and retain job in Ohio’s market,” Panda said. Ohio Proud currently works with 79 counties and 465 partners. Consumers may be familiar with Ohio Proud for their 8’ ice cream sundae and largest tossed salad at the Ohio State Fair, but also their in-store demonstrations and Ohio Proud Month. For more information about Ohio Proud, please visit, www.OhioProud.com.

Ohio Grape Industries

Ohio Grape Industries, created in 1981, is a state-funded agency created to provide marketing, research and education. Ohio’s current wine industry consists of 148 wineries on more than 1,500 acres of land, making about 1.1 million gallons of wine annually. Christy Eckstein, Executive Director of the Ohio Grape Industries Committee, described the Ohio Quality Wine Program. “The Ohio Quality Wine Program designates wine with 90 percent true Ohio wine from the ground to the glass,” Eckstein said. Fox-ABC news in Columbus, OH and the Bluejackets Hockey team from Ohio want to help promote Ohio Wine. For more information about Ohio Wines please visit, www.TasteOhioWines.com.

Velvet Ice Cream

For marketing, Velvet Ice Cream uses free-standing inserts in Sunday newspapers, grass roots marketing, and they share billboards with distributors.  Members learned that the Dager family finds PR to be very important to the success of their business.  Last year between May and October 2010, 160,000 visitors toured the factory.  Dager explained that the tours help to create an emotional connection to the product for customers.

In 2010, Velvet Ice Cream teamed up with the Ohio Farm Bureau in an effort to promote state agriculture.  They held a contest to create a new ice cream flavor incorporating at least one Ohio-grown product.  The winning flavor, honey caramel, will be debuted April 2011.  Members completed the visit with a sampling of the Buckeye Classic and Vanilla flavors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPUiTLZwuNc

PDC Opening Session 2/24

The 2011 Professional Development Conference has begun at The Ohio State University!  At the opening session, the over 50 attendees were welcomed by the hosting ACT members. Dr. Bobby Moser, Dean of OSU’s College Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences welcomed the group while providing a brief snap shot of Ohio Agriculture.  Then, Angela Jamison of American Agricultural Editors’ Association (proud sponsors of the national officer team travel) spoke on the importance of ethics in agricultural communications.  AAEA encourages its member to “just do the right thing.” Finally, members were inspired by John Buck of TurnKey Leadership. His advice to encourage members to engage with new people and put the phones away was well received by the excited group of college students. “You are it,” Buck said of the audience being the future of agriculture. Over the next two days members will experience numerous leadership and professional development opportunities.