By Lindsay Chichester, UNL Extension Educator and Amy Millmier Schmidt, UNL Assistant Professor and Livestock Bioenvironmental Engineer
In a world where technology is changing so quickly, and endless information is available everywhere, it can be hard to know what is fact, what is fiction, and what is based upon a reliable source. Couple this with the fact that most people are about three generations removed from farming and you are likely to find many consumers with questions or concerns surrounding the livestock and agricultural industry.
Two members of UNL Extension have recently launched social media campaigns to provide information to the general public and members of the agricultural community about a number of ag-related topics.
Lindsay Chichester, UNL Extension Educator, recently created a blog (http://agriculturalwithdrlindsay.com), Twitter (@AgWithDrLindsay), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/agwithdrlindsay) that will discuss the agricultural industry from many angles. Topics will range from meat, labeling claims, and livestock, to production practices, hot topics, and people who work in the industry. Each blog post will be entertaining and educational, while providing science and research.
Amy Millmier Schmidt, UNL Assistant Professor and Livestock Bioenvironmental Engineer, has created Twitter (@DrAmyTalksAg) and Facebook
(http://www.facebook.com/DrAmyTalksAg) accounts designed for sharing current and factual information related to environmental, social, and economic sustainability of agricultural production systems. Among other things, Schmidt shares research results, discusses the value of critically examining sources of “data” in the press, and invites input from followers about how they make food-purchasing decisions or define sustainability.
The long-term goal is to improve the public’s understanding of food production practices, provide a way for farmers to share their story with the people for whom they are producing food, and gain a better understanding of how to improve consumer confidence in our food production system.