Heading into the new decade, profitability is – and must be -- the top item on farmers’ priority lists everywhere. Regional concerns will emerge and in many cases threaten the farm agenda. But unless profitability is the agreed-upon number one priority for farmers, and clearly communicated to the public, it’s back to square one.
Here’s why. Even though people seem to be keenly interested and aware of food, they don’t understand farming, let alone realize it is a business. So when farm leaders talk about their priorities, I’m pretty sure the public would rather hear them say something other than the ability to earn a profit is the most important factor in sustaining a business.
How, they must wonder, can farmers not cite food safety? What about local food? Or climate change? Or aesthetics, making their farms look nice for city folks to appreciate on leisurely drives in the country?
In other words, I don’t think most consumers consider farmers’ profitability their top priority. But maybe farmers can help change that perception over time, through clear and consistent messaging.
This is a monumental undertaking. But with sustained hard work, maybe consumers could come to understand profitability is the best priority-related statement farmers can make. They can be presented with logical arguments about how profitable farms can dedicate resources to more than just the bare essentials. They can see how a decent income lets farmers take extra measures to implement the things people say are important, including environmental programs, new food development initiatives or extraordinary food safety measures.
In an ideal world, all food safety measures would be extraordinary, as would everything else consumers want from farmers. But in the face of skyrocketing energy and labour costs, low commodity prices and other woes, it can be tough to think about consumers’ priorities, even though they’re the ultimate customer.
Consumers might even empathize. They too struggle with some of the same problems, particularly energy costs. And there have been many situations in the United States and Canada where the public has gone to bat for farmers when the chips are down.
However, when the public lists its woes, it includes the cost of food, despite food being dirt cheap in North America compared to elsewhere. Again, the need for consistent messaging abounds: Food here is a bargain.
If consumers were willing to pay farmers what it really cost to produce food, it would be a different story. But right now, they’re not, and it will be up to farmers to change that perception. However, even when that happens, the job’s not done. For example, remember the groundswell that started against farming when corn became profitable and some consumer groups blamed farms for favoring fuel over food? It could easily happen again.
The best communications approaches take place before problems arise, and they’re based on clear and consistent messages. It’s time to get the public onside, and to work hard to keep them there.
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