South Dakota Soybean’s Hungry for Truth Initiative hosted a farmer panel at the Ag PHD Field Day looking at how farmers can bridge the gap they have with consumers regarding agriculture.

The panel featured Iowa blogger Michelle Miller. She’s known as The Farm Babe and uses social media to inform consumers about the facts behind modern farming. She says farmers need to get engaged with consumers.

Miller says farmers should not be intimidated by social media and instead use it as a tool to combat the myths in agriculture.

Marc Reiner with the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council says the panel allowed them to share with farmers how they are talking to consumers through their Hungry for Truth Initiative.

He shared research that shows that consumers have concerns about pesticide use and GMOs. However, he says farmers can’t always use science when talking to the public about this technology.

The panel did agree that farmers and farm groups are making headway in consumer messaging, but it takes a long time to change public opinion.