The Public really do not know!!

[richard hammond]

I have been involved with a lot of people out side of our industry over the last 12-18months, and I am amazed /horrified that most people out side our industry are really not aware we are regulated over our food production systems. Many have not heard of Red Tractor or other Assurance Schemes, they think we spray poisons on fields, until I make them aware we really have no harmful products available to use for food production(which are strictly regulated by our selves) unlike the products we were chucking about 35 years ago, OPs etc.
We all go on about production techniques while our customers have no idea what we are trying to achieve. When I explain the good we are doing as an industry people are so pleased they are eating safe food when produced in the UK. What are your thoughts on how and who should be promoting to ALL our direct customers!!

 

[teslacoils]

This is the UK. Our national sport is moaning. Do you think they want to hear good news? They just want something to grumble about.

 

[richard hammond]

This is the UK. Our national sport is moaning. Do you think they want to hear good news? They just want something to grumble about.

What worries me they have no idea about the food they are eating, I am talking about our customers not our Farmers!!

 

[7610 super q]

The public seem to think the countryside is a carefully crafted free amusement park, and get quite annoyed by pesky farmers growing crops, chuffing about in large slow moving vehicles, and keeping livestock in fields.
Quite alarming really. Where did it all go wrong ?

 

[delilah]

No point worrying about it, it's the same for many other industries and professions. OH is a teacher, the bulk of the population neither knows or cares what hoops teachers have to jump through.

 

[teslacoils]

What worries me they have no idea about the food they are eating, I am talking about our customers not our Farmers!!

Sounds reasonable. I know naff all about most of the processes behind other things I consume. I rely on their industries being appropriately regulated.

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

I have been involved with a lot of people out side of our industry over the last 12-18months, and I am amazed /horrified that most people out side our industry are really not aware we are regulated over our food production systems. Many have not heard of Red Tractor or other Assurance Schemes, they think we spray poisons on fields, until I make them aware we really have no harmful products available to use for food production(which are strictly regulated by our selves) unlike the products we were chucking about 35 years ago, OPs etc.
We all go on about production techniques while our customers have no idea what we are trying to achieve. When I explain the good we are doing as an industry people are so pleased they are eating safe food when produced in the UK. What are your thoughts on how and who should be promoting to ALL our direct customers!!

Is James May going to be an agriculturalist as well?

 

[Campbell]

I'd have thought we have reached Farming PR saturation point by now, in fact it's difficult to avoid it. But like most things that there is plenty off, it's soon forgotten about and we all move on.

 

[richard hammond]

I'd have thought we have reached Farming PR saturation point by now, in fact it's difficult to avoid it. But like most things that there is plenty off, it's soon forgotten about and we all move on.

Probably the wrong PR, I mentioned no-till to a group of people on Thursday and they had not got a clue what I was talking about!! do we promote Groundswell to the public or JUST farmers??

 

[richard hammond]

Is James May going to be an agriculturalist as well?

There is always one!! Ha Ha!!

 

[bobk]

Best way is don't engage with them , life's too short .

 

[richard hammond]

Best way is don't engage with them , life's too short .

Great attitude to the promotion of our industry, but I will agree it can be bloody hard work if they know nothing!!

 

[bobk]

Great attitude to the promotion of our industry, but I will agree it can be bloody hard work if they know nothing!!

Years of experience , fouck em .

 

[richard hammond]

Probably the wrong PR, I mentioned no-till to a group of people on Thursday and they had not got a clue what I was talking about!! do we promote Groundswell to the public or JUST farmers??

We have a lot of people within our industry that like to promote them selves and possibly not our end goal to get the production of food that is some of the safest in the world promoted to our end user.

 

[betweenthelines]

All very well moaning that the public don't understand farming, but how many of you do Open Farm Sunday or things like inviting schools or WI groups etc to visit your farm? Or offer to give talks to such groups?

Too much of the interaction that farmers have with the public is negative-put your dog on a lead, don't park there, I'll harvesting, traffic will have to wait etc. etc.

 

[Highland Mule]

What are your thoughts on how and who should be promoting to ALL our direct customers!!

They're your direct customers, so you can promote to them just as I promote to mine.

 

[richard hammond]

Years of experience , fouck em .

Everybody has their opinion which "I" respect but after being within the industry for 46 years it bothers me we have not moved forward for decades, and I am not the person to do it, we need the youngsters to step up!

 

[bobk]

Everybody has their opinion which "I" respect but after being within the industry for 46 years it bothers me we have not moved forward for decades, and I am not the person to do it, we need the youngsters to step up!

I sell direct to the public , but I'm not giving them an education at the same time .

 

[Princess Pooper]

All very well moaning that the public don't understand farming, but how many of you do Open Farm Sunday or things like inviting schools or WI groups etc to visit your farm? Or offer to give talks to such groups?

Too much of the interaction that farmers have with the public is negative-put your dog on a lead, don't park there, I'll harvesting, traffic will have to wait etc. etc.

yup, I have had lots of visitors to farm who have said they learned so much. Also write a bi-monthly column in a local free ad mag which gets onto about 6000 door mats each month. Up to everyone to do their bit. If you have an open farm event, get your agronomist/local animal health rep etc to come along and cover their side of things.

 

[bobk]

yup, I have had lots of visitors to farm who have said they learned so much. Also write a bi-monthly column in a local free ad mag which gets onto about 6000 door mats each month. Up to everyone to do their bit. If you have an open farm event, get your agronomist/local animal health rep etc to come along and cover their side of things.

Presumably you get paid for it ?