How to protect your farm business from misinformation

We face an avalanche of information, making it hard to identify what’s credible. Misinformation pervades all industries, threatening efforts and hindering critical decision-making. As a farm operator, it’s essential to identify what’s valuable and question what isn’t.

But how do you do that?

Pause and assess social media
Social media platforms like Facebook, X and TikTok are especially prone to misinformation. Dr. Timothy Caulfield, Faculty of Law professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, says that misinformation is designed to engage users emotionally.

Caulfield suggests asking questions when you interact with social media content. “‘Is this messaging playing to my emotions or values? Is it trying to make me angry?’ These questions can help identify red flags, revealing cognitive biases at play,” he says.

Caulfield also suggests a simple trick: be patient. Avoid rushing decisions based on something you saw while scrolling. “Pause for a moment,” Caulfield says. “Take a moment and ask yourself if the headline or content is accurate. Good, credible research shows that pausing and reflecting before you internalize the messaging makes you more resilient to misinformation.”

Ask your experts
Eugenie Officer, sales enablement manager at FCC, echoes that sentiment. She suggests taking time to digest the information and stresses the importance of seeking the insight and opinions of the ag experts you deal with.