The Communicating to the Millennial Farmer Panel, sponsored by Poet, moderated by Dave Katzer, and consisting of Clarissa Unger, Kevin Heikes, Garrett Riekhof and Topanga McBride spoke on the changing face of agriculture and effective methods of communication and information distribution at the 73rd NAFB Convention.
Dave Katzer, a leader of the agriculture and life sciences practice in the Global Prairie Kansas City office said there is an uptick in interest from millennials to be involved in agriculture at a broad level.
Clarissa Unger, director of partnerships at YI Advisors, said young farmers want to correct the public’s misconceptions and be viewed as entrepreneurs. Unger stressed it is important to inform people on the technology young farmers are using and present the farmers as innovators.
Clarissa Unger, Director of Partnerships at YI Advisors, has found that young farmers want to correct misconceptions about farmers. #NAFB16
— NAFB (@NAFB) November 9, 2016
Millennial grower Garrett Riekhof said he manages his farm exclusively and needs to receive information as concisely as possible.
Vice President of Product at Farmlink, Kevin Heikes, said there is a need to understand the world farmers live in, and when to use different communications channels and mediums.
Millennial farmer Garrett Riekhof said he needs to receive information as concisely as possible. #NAFB16
— NAFB (@NAFB) November 9, 2016
“Farmers can’t sit down at a computer all day,” Heikes said.
The panel’s conversation concluded with discussion of the possibility of hands-free devices and making information available on demand in the future.
“We need to make information on demand and meet customers where they are,” Heikes said.
Blog post by 2016 NAFB Social Media Corps member Evan Thompson, an agricultural communicatons major at Texas Tech. The 2016 NAFB Social Media Corps is sponsored by Farm Credit.
