A contract with consumers

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A contract with consumers

• An urban initiative of the Ontario Federation of
  Agriculture

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the ontario farmer

• average age 57
• farm operations face tremendous pressure to
  expand
• costs and regulatory demands increasing
• costs for management systems
• they are price takers
• consumers insist on low prices and high quality
  but farmers ultimately bear the cost burden
• represent only 1 of the canadian population

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the goal

• broaden the base of support for farmers by
  gaining non-farm support for farm and farmer
  issues among urban consumers

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the urban consumer

• one generation removed from rural and farm
  experience exposure limited to urban press,
  environmental and animal activist protests and
  communications
• general sense there will always be food it
  doesnt matter where or how it gets to them
• great respect for farmers

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questions arise.

• Why are farmers among the most trusted
  professionals?
• how do consumers think about farmers?
• what do farmers need to do to get the attention
  of the urban consumers?

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the proposal

• conduct research and develop, test and deliver
  messages to ontario consumers about farmers
• advertising campaign that will improve public
  knowledge and attitudes towards farmers
• organizational campaign that will assist in
  recruiting urban consumer support for farmers

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contract with consumers - part I

• the communications and research audit

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the communications and research audit

• ontario commodity groups surveyed engage
  exclusively in sector and product-specific
  communications
• all groups an effective job of representing
  their growers products

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but.

• clear absence of a consumer directed
  communications initiative that supports all
  farmers
• absence of messages that inform consumers of
  individual farmer activities that support safe,
  healthy food and environment

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audit recommendation

• the ofa pursue communications messages and a
  campaign that will focus specifically on ontario
  farmers and their accomplishments and
  contributions

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contract with consumers part II

• 2003 qualitative research report

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focus group testing

• ontario cities ottawa, toronto, hamilton,
  london, windsor
• two group approach grasstops and grassroots
• ages 18 to 85
• at least one generation removed from a farm,
  farming family

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urban consumers what is a farmer?

• traditional farmer in the dell, struggling to
  make ends meet and fearful of the future
• savvy, well-educated businessman trained in
  modern agri-business and eager to grow his
  business through economies of scale
• farmers are hardworking, committed, determined
  and family-oriented individuals with a
  lower-than-average aversion to risk

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losing family farms

• concerned but not surprised by the loss of family
  farms
• loss of farmland to corporate farming and urban
  sprawl is a concern
• concerned about losing quality and nutritional
  value of food and price increases

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cost of food

• cost of food remains a key driver for consumers
• unaware of how food prices in Ontario compare to
  other jurisdictions
• unaware the farmer is a price taker rather than a
  price setter

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farming practices consumer beliefs

• confident in locally grown produce and
  livestock
• quickly skeptical and cynical about standards and
  compliance when specific issues raised
• image of the honest farmer clashes with belief
  economic pressures force farmers to cut corners
  or disregard standards
• larger farming operations lead to more serious
  environmental damage

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video
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urban consumer reaction

• instills a sense of pride in Ontario farmers
• but
• romanticizes farming and doesnt reflect the
  reality of farming today
• it doesnt tell the true story of how hard
  farmers have it today. instead, it makes me
  think, wow, farmers have it greatwhy do I need
  to worry about them?
• urban consumer-windsor

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before sliced bread messages

• messages that work
• raising families
• supporting their communities
• meeting challenges
• mastering technology
• growing healthy communities and people
• messages that dont work
• maintaining and protecting water quality
• protecting the environment
• protecting the soil

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How confident are you in the level of food safety
ensured by Ontario farming practices?
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Are you comfortable with the level of animal care
ensured by Ontario farmers?
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Do you agree that current farming practices
adequately address environmental protection
issues?
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consumer farmers and the environment

• recognize that with farming comes a certain
  amount of polluting
• economic necessity can force farmers to cut
  corners not in the best interest of the
  environment
• government subsidies - targeted to viable, family
  run, locally owned, farms

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influencers farmers and the environment

• critical and skeptical of legislated standards
• percieve farmers need to cut some corners to
  ensure they make a profit
• environmental protection - greater distance
  exists between best practices and what a farmer
  is able to commit to while still making a profit

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I didnt know that!

• all were surprised and encouraged by farmers
  environmental and animal care efforts when shown
  components of the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP)
• called the EFP the farmers business tool to
  carry out environmental improvement

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conclusions

• ontario consumers misunderstand farmers and the
  realities facing the agricultural community
• there is a need to reposition the image of
  farmers and farming in the minds of the consuming
  public
• without a clear, transparent and consistent
  image, consumers will remain ambivalent, skeptical

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advice from consumers

• bring together the emotional image of farmer with
  that of a modern, technologically adept and
  environmentally responsible commodity producer
• build on the rock-solid values embodied by the
  farmer in the dell and demonstrate how todays
  farmer has evolved into a more sophisticated
  producer of agricultural goods

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next steps

• commence a broad-based organizational campaign in
  cities to expand and recruit urban consumer
  support
• commence a broad-based public affairs/advertising
  campaign targeted at urban consumers

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thank you farmers