The saying goes, “Tell your story, or someone else will tell it for you.” As my students used to say, “Back in the old days,” farmers and ranchers were respected because everyone had someone in the family that was a farmer or rancher. They’d been there, seen what they did, how they did it and understood why they did it that way. Since WWII, the distance between the urbanite and the farmer and the rancher has grown farther, so they can’t look over the fence to see what goes on. The story of farmers and ranchers has changed, leaving movies, TV shows, activists and others to define our motives and methods. Unfortunately, now the truth becomes what is said first and repeated often enough. Take the study “Livestock’s Long Shadow.” It came out in 2006 and claimed that cattle were the cause of more greenhouse gases than automobiles. It was 2010 when Dr. Frank Mitloehner from the University of California, Davis debunked the study, but still today you can still find it as a resource for current studies. Letting others tell our stories has both big and small consequences.
Here in Colorado, letting the wolf advocates tell the story of how wolves became extinct played a role in the passing of Proposition 114, the reintroduction of wolves to Colorado. Their story was that the ancestors of the current ranchers were the ones that called for the eradication of the wolf. Not standing up and telling our own stories has resulted in more regulations, which are based on the public not getting the rest of the story or understanding that what we are doing aligns with their values. Here are some “rest” of the stories:
The rest of the story on flood irrigation is that while some plants get more and less water as the water flowing across the field is cleaned of silt and other particulates, it soaks into the ground and is filtered and then recharges the river so it can be used again downstream. The rest of the story on cattle grazing is that it reduces greenhouse gases by sequestering carbon, enriching soil and combating wildfires by reducing fire load. The rest of the story needs to be told by someone who is trusted, and it turns out that farmers and ranchers are highly trusted when it comes to telling the story of processes of food production and understanding the natural processes involved in that production which aligns with modern values.
Not everyone has the gift or desire to become the storyteller. And yet, it will take all of us to tell the story of agriculture to some degree, so where to start? You start with the people you are already talking to: the neighbor, a fellow church member, even a farming or ranch neighbor. You can talk with them about something new you are doing. As you get comfortable with that, start inviting small groups out to a partial tour of your ranch. This could be your children’s friends or classmates. Invite your legislators for a show-and-tell if they are considering legislation that could impact you. Classes, clubs, 4-H, FFA, scouts … Your ranch has it all: places to practice skills and you have the knowledge. Grade school kids are the best groups to practice on. They keep you on your toes with their questions, and their facial expressions are brutally honest if you’re above or below their level of understanding or not clear in making your point.
Want to become more polished? I don’t know of any industry group that doesn’t have some speaker training and it’s a good place to get the background information you may need. Or you could visit a 4-H or FFA group when they are doing their presentations and speeches. There are plenty of books in the library, videos and help on the internet. Don’t forget the high school English teacher, debate coach and drama teacher.
Want to move into the social media sector? Don’t ask me, ask your children or grandchildren. In all seriousness, we, the farmers and ranchers of the U.S., are “highly trusted to tell the story of modern agriculture and explain how production practices align with societal values.” (Terri Moore, American Farm Bureau Federation). There are plenty of resources available.
Here are some rules I follow:
1. Remember, you are the expert in what, how and why you use the production practices you do.
2. “No” is a word you are allowed to use. You don’t have to go to every event you’re invited to.
3. If you are asked a question you don’t know the answer to, say so and follow up with “I’ll find out and get back to you.” Then hand them a business card and ask them to write their question and contact info. Follow up.
4. Be yourself, it makes you more relaxed and no one is better at it than you.
5. Breathe.
6. Pick just one or two items to talk about. You don’t have to tell them everything and you’ll have something to talk about next time. — Jo Stanko, Steamboat Springs, CO
(Stanko’s family ranches near Steamboat Springs, CO. In addition to being a retired schoolteacher, she is one of the first cattlewomen trained under the American National CattleWomen’s National Beef Speakers Bureau.)
