Farmers and ranchers are turning to social media

Farmers and ranchers are turning to social media such as Facebook and Twitter to communicate directly with the public to help ease concerns about food safety, establish a better level of trust and improve public opinion about their farming methodologies, according to the American Farm Bureau's 2010 Young Farmers and Ranchers Survey published in this month's edition of Food Nutrition & Science. The October issue features an interview with Jeff Fowle, president of AgChat who explains the importance of social media to the farmer and the consumer.

"This topic is fascinating and represents the future of the food industry where growers and food manufacturers have a direct conversation with their consumers—cutting out the middle person albeit the media or food processors—through social media sites," said Phil Lempert, founder of Food Nutrition & Science and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com. "This way, consumers get to know the people growing their food. It's an integral part of sustainability and every issue of Food Nutrition and Science offers these types of stories that provide a unique perspective on the food industry."

With more than 26,000 subscribers that are mostly retailers, Food Nutrition & Science is a free monthly newsletter with articles relating to retailers, manufacturers, farmers, nutritionists, educators, government agencies and more. It's also a newsletter that services members of the National Grocer Association and offers breaking food news and articles on food safety and industry-wide green initiatives.

In addition to the Farmers and Social Media article, this month's publication also features a study on "foragers," a new position within a major national food service operation company who's charged with the task of finding yet-to-be-discovered food producers, and hidden gems from local farms within their particular region. The forager's job is to seek out unusual products and find synergies between the needs of the chefs who prepare the food for the company.

"This is terrific," says Lempert. "First and foremost it's about finding the best flavors and freshest foods that create a better product, and therefore it's sound business. But as a result, it's helping small business and growers and ultimately the environment, so it's a total win-win."

Other articles this month include results from a National Cancer Institute study about how American diets are not meeting dietary federal recommendations; an interview with the Sustainability manager for Oregon-based Willamette Valley Vineyards that's best known for its properties that are certified sustainable and Salmon Safe; and an article written by Registered Dietician Cindy Silver on how retailers and dieticians can better market fruits and vegetables to consumers.

In addition, this edition includes an article about Phil Lempert's Food Sense, a documentary that today starts airing nationally on public television stations across the country. Food Sense examines organic and conventional farming production and processing methods resulting in a comprehensive primer on farm-to-table methods and how it affects animals, food safety, the environment and everyone involved—from day laborers and farmers to retailers and consumers. There's also a one-of-its kind interactive website that provides comprehensive food news and information. www.philsfoodsense.org.

For more information or to subscribe to Food Nutrition & Science, please visit www.FoodNutritionScience.com.