Food producers need to better connect with consumers, says Nagel

Farmers used to glance through Encyclopaedia Britannica in an effort to do agricultural research.

Smartphones, tablets and computers have replaced those seemingly archaic information sources in the modern battle for agriculture information. Mossbank area farmer Cherilyn Nagel says that makes it a really exciting time to be in the agriculture industry.

On behalf of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan (FFCS), Nagel delivered a presentation on food and farming at the Regina Public Library’s Sherwood Village branch on Tuesday evening.

FFCS formed in late 2014 and is a coalition that tries to connect consumers to food and farming. The organization is also looking at introducing new and creative ways to introduce farming knowledge to the public.

Nagel explained that farmers haven’t typically been good at telling their stories, but FFCS is encouraging producers, such as herself, to openly engage with consumers. Technological advancements have helped.

“It’s our job as producers to try to get back into this game of sharing information,” she said.

“The voice that’s been missing was the producers. We need to take on this challenge and start being a part of this conversation more so than we have ever been before.”

A fourth-generation farmer, Nagel said speaking with consumers about agriculture was never something she wanted to do.

“I felt like I was just too busy actually farming to take the time to talk to consumers about all of these crazy myths I was hearing about,” she said.

The more she tried to avoid interacting with consumers, the more the topic presented itself to her.

Since embracing more open interaction with consumers, Nagel spends much of her time encouraging other farmers to actively get out and speak to consumers — when she isn’t out in the field with her husband and kids.

“We have a really good news story happening on the farm and it’s important that we get out there and start to tell it,” said Nagel.

She also encourages people to take virtual tours of farming to garner a better understanding of modern farming.