midwest row crop collaborative and trust in food
midwest row crop collaborative and trust in food

3

Develop Messages

In regenerative agriculture, we are often (with justifiable reason) focused on the environmental outcome of the behavior change we’re striving towards. In designing outreach, though, we have to consider that the outcome that matters to us might not be the outcome that motivates a producer to take on the change we’re asking for. 

For example, we may want a producer to implement cover crops because they help sequester carbon or increase soil fertility. The farmer might see the main benefit of implementing cover crops as increased yield or leaving the operation more productive for the next generation.

Additionally, tiny nuances in the outreach’s wording, visuals and tone can make a significant difference in the way that it’s received. If we found that this particular group of farmers loves hunting in Step 2, we can use visuals related to outdoor recreation to promote regenerative agriculture practices like wetland restoration.

Crafting messages that accelerate the speed towards the achievement of the goal is an intentional process that requires aligning the insights we have about farmers with actionable applications in our outreach design. By developing tailored and persuasive messages based on a deep understanding of the audience, we can effectively communicate the value of our regenerative agriculture program and inspire action towards the defined goal.

What We Did

Outreach for the project was designed to focus on the three values that came through as predominant for the producers in area of work:

  • Leadership, defined as a group of producers that value being a leader and making decisions about their own land.
  • Protection, defined as a group of producers interested in high yields, regulation, risk management, tools and services.
  • Legacy, defined as a group of producers that values family and passing the farm down to the next generation.

Calls to action on outreach material reflected these values back to producers with wording such as “Protecting the land. It’s my promise.” and “Leaving it better. It’s my promise.”

Trust In Food flagged producers across the project area according to their dominant set of values, including a group of producers with the highest levels of legacy/leadership, and a group of producers with the highest levels of interest in protection. All producers were served all material, but metrics show that producers chose to engage with the material most closely aligned with their tagged values.

Materials featuring the value most strongly aligned with the producer’s own inspired action nearly twice as frequently.

Make it Happen

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Sample Engagement Themes

Data gathered in Step 2 should be directly reflected in your campaign imagery. Leveraging your data-driven insights in your messaging helps promote accelerated engagement.

Priority Producers feel high interest in/alignment with outdoor or nature-based activities like fishing, hunting, scenic travel, motorized vehicles and off-roading, boating, and horse sports.
Given Priority Producers’ interest in outdoor activities, Trust in Food™ recommended using images and language related to natural resources and outdoor sports.
There is over 60% content affinity for topics like high yield, risk management, and John Deere brand, but less than 31% for topics like hemp, sustainability, and livestock.
Given Priority Producers’ content affinities, Trust in Food™ recommended using language and information that emphasizes increasing yield and managing risks, and that connects to interests like tractors and machinery.
Priority Producers may not go to peers for farming advice, but they value community and participate in local causes. Trust in Food™ recommended emphasizing decision-making and setting an example to family and community.
Priority Producers are lifelong farmers with a strong connection to the idea of land-based legacies and multi-generational farming. Trust in Food™ recommended featuring families (without minors’ faces) and stewardship for future generations.
Priority Producers care strongly about conservation stewardship and believe they already understand and are good at many conservation practices. We emphasized their protection of the land without referencing degraded landscapes or terms like “regenerative” and “climate-smart.”
Priority Producers value stability, may avoid risk, and are more willing to invest in new practices after it’s proven to work on farms like theirs. We used language that emphasizes proven practices in use and that increases guarantees against threat or uncertainty.
Priority Producers have very low trust in advertising as useful for decision-making. They do not see the internet as a source of relaxation but do see it as a source of useful information, inspiration, or quick updates on local events.
Given Priority Producers’ attitudes toward advertising, Trust in Food™ recommended positioning materials as opportunities for learning rather than selling an idea or product. We used phrases like “learn more” as calls to action.
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Insights from Sustainability Engagement Leaders

Informed Communication for Effective Engagement

“Everyone wants farms to be resilient and productive, but companies, consumers, government partners, NGOs, and farmers use different language to talk about it. We are all worried about drought, but one group may talk about climate change, while the farmer may reference the weather. To scale change, we need to effectively communicate with producers. This playbook provides insights on how to build effective engagement and outreach.“

Stefani Millie Grant
Unilever

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