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Oct. 28, 2011 Source: Farm Journal Foundation news release The Farm Journal Foundation's Farmer's Feeding the World initiative successfully launched an aggressive, long-term social media campaign in the past month aimed at exponentially increasing digital engagement between farmers, consumers, students, educators and policymakers with more than 50 food-focused events in the next 12 months. On Sept. 29, the initiative sponsored a virtual event called A Day in Agriculture hosted by the nation's leading third-party agricultural website, www.agweb.com, to connect Americans to where their food comes from. More than 130 farmers took time to explain a day in the life of a farmer via AgWeb, tweeting 340 times, while 272 consumers and agriculture professionals posted 674 messages on Twitter throughout the day. "I am learning today," food advocate Leslie Henry of New York City posted on her Twitter feed after her questions about egg production were answered by a farmer. Three weeks later, Oct. 18-21, Farmers Feeding the World's 2,500-sq.-ft. mobile exhibit took center stage at the National FFA Convention Career Show to celebrate the new $500,000 partnership between the Farm Journal Foundation and FFA, with matching funding from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. The partnership makes it possible to give 130-plus grants to local FFA chapters who start sustainable hunger programs in their local communities. When asked how they would use the grants, providing up to $2,500, to fight hunger, hundreds of students at the convention brainstormed hunger projects they could start in their communities. Several hundred teachers and students shared those ideas on the Farmers Feeding the World Facebook page. Kristi Harkins of Raleigh, N.C., wrote, "If I had $2,500, I would fight hunger by implementing community gardens and education in areas that were less fortunate. By educating these people on how to grow their own products, we could fight hunger together and teach farming practices throughout the world." The social media event engagement continues with the 13th Farm Journal Forum on "Securing Global Food Security with Sustainability" in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5-6. Sponsored by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and hosted in partnership with Informa Economics, the Farm Journal Forum will enable farmers, consumers and policymakers to engage in discussion of critical farming and food issues which will continue via Twitter and Facebook, the mainstream media and reports on national television. "Consumers, farmers, policymakers and educators have an insatiable desire to begin meaningful conversations about food," said Anna-Lisa Giannini, Farm Journal Foundation's social media manager. "Not only do we plan to leverage traditional media outlets to connect all the stakeholders in food security, but we plan to leverage our social media expertise to bring that conversation past the farm gate." In 2012, the Farmers Feeding the World mobile exhibit road show is set to travel for 28 weeks to 12 consumer events and to the 35 college campuses of the Big 10, Big 12 and MAC conferences, where students will learn about the need for food security solutions and have the opportunity to attend evening "Food Forums" initiating conversations between farmers, students, educators and community leaders that will be shared widely through all social media platforms. To follow these and other social media events in the coming months, check www.farmersfeedingtheworld.org, follow us on Twitter and visit the Farmers Feeding the World Facebook page. About the Farm Journal Foundation The Farm Journal Foundation is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to sustaining U.S. agriculture's ability to serve the vital needs of a growing world population with education and assistance focused on the unique interests of people and organizations aligned with U.S agriculture. The Foundation houses Farm Journal's myriad advocacy initiatives such as the Farmers Feeding the World campaign and elements of the Farm Journal Legacy Project. Tweet |
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