By Steve Olson, Steve Olson Consulting, LLC
The take home message from the 19th annual Animal Agriculture Alliance Summit (Virtual) can be summed up in one word –Trust! According to Summit presenter Steve Lerch, Founder & President, Stone Arc Consulting, LLC “only 33% of consumers trust the food system” and that was before COVID-19.
The mistrust is driven in part by not understanding and/or misunderstanding the food system. This creates an opportunity for farmers and food companies to better communicate why we raise food animals, so that consumers can trust how we raise animals. The question is how can we build trust? Summit presenters consistently recommend we use transparency in explaining the importance to us of caring for the animals and that we share consumers’ values for raising animals using environmentally responsible and animal well-being focused husbandry.
This is an example of Teddy Roosevelt’s quote “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care." If consumers know we care about animals’ well-being they are more trusting of how and what we do in raising food animals.
For a list of speakers check out the Summit Highlight Report and/or contact me for additional information.
Founded in 1987, the Animal Agriculture Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that brings together farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, animal feed companies, animal health companies, processors, allied associations and others involved in getting food from the farm to our forks! For more information go to: https://animalagalliance.org/. The 2021 Summit will be held May 5-6 in Kansas City.
Steve Olson Consulting, LLC assists individuals and organizations navigate the future of agriculture, today, with strategic planning, coaching and association management. For assistance go to LinkedIn.com/in/StevenHOlson or contact him at 763.200.1120.
