Agriculture Internships – tips to maximize the opportunities
Growing up on a diversified cattle ranch, I had the great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the cattle business from an early age. I had a deep dive into a large-scale cow-calf and stocker business; our family vacations were traveling to Amarillo, Texas to see our cattle in the feedlots. Despite having such an […]
Live Video Tips to Build Community
One of the opportunities I’ve often overlooked and likely have not taken good advantage of when sharing my story online has been the use of live video. Most social media platforms offer the opportunity to go live in one way or another. Live video can be a great tool for building community and really allowing […]
Sharing seasons of life through advocacy
How many hours per week do you tend to work on average? (Wrong answers only.) Join the discussion on Twitter. May is a busy month. As the days and nights finally begin to warm, things really kick into high gear. Daylight hours become longer and still, I find myself struggling to fit everything into the day. […]
What word choice leads to misunderstanding?
How you say it matters. But sometimes, what you say can have an even bigger impact on how your message is received. Word choice matters. Think back to the last time you were part of a discussion with someone from a different industry about their line of work. Did they bring up any words or […]
What I learned by unfollowing everyone on Twitter
During a Twitter conversation this past week, I was asked why bother following people who we disagree with. While the social media platform has gained a reputation as an environment with bullying and negativity, and for good reason, it has allowed so many people to connect through conversations. I’ve been an active Twitter user since […]
Advocacy Tips for Sharing Your Sustainability Story
What do you find to be the most difficult part of discussing sustainability? Share your thoughts on Twitter. Happy Earth Day! I hope you take this opportunity to share some appreciation for the environment we live and work in on a daily basis. The agriculture community is lucky to have these landscapes as our offices. I know […]
Finding your audience for sustainability and advocacy
This month, new survey results show the most widely used social media platforms by Americans. While you may assume Facebook is the top dog, it’s worth looking at survey results to see how the platforms actually rank. If you dive deeper into the Pew Research Center report, you’ll see not all platforms are equal when it comes to who is using them. […]
Advocacy for Earth Day and Environmental Sustainability
Earth Day 2021 is coming on April 22. Are you preparing to join the conversations? Most of us in the agriculture community realize that working in and caring for our environment is a year-round task. In past years, we’ve made great strides in sharing our stories of environmental stewardship, but we always have room for improvement in […]
How is your advocacy message received?
Today is April Fools’ Day. Unlike the folks over at Voltswagon, we’re not celebrating all week, but we should keep an eye out for the tricksters today. Spring has sprung on the ranch in northern Colorado. We’ve finally reached a stretch of 70° days and the cows are chasing grass. With the bull sale behind us, we can […]
Awareness of Food Systems Has Opened Doors for Advocacy
As our calendars transition to the Spring months, it is difficult to believe we find ourselves a year into the coronavirus pandemic. It was last March and April when COVID struck and many states placed restrictions on business capacity and travel. Many Americans found themselves working from home and were forced to cook most meals […]