Abstract #720
Section: ADSA-ASAS Northeast Section Symposium
Session: ADSA-ASAS Northeast Section Symposium: Bridging the gap between animal protein production and consumers, current and future
Format: Oral
Day/Time: Wednesday 3:45 PM–4:30 PM
Location: Wekiwa 1/2
Session: ADSA-ASAS Northeast Section Symposium: Bridging the gap between animal protein production and consumers, current and future
Format: Oral
Day/Time: Wednesday 3:45 PM–4:30 PM
Location: Wekiwa 1/2
# 720
Using social media to increase consumer acceptance of animal agriculture.
Janeal W. Yancey*1, 1University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR.
Key Words: advocacy, consumer education, social media
Speaker Bio
Using social media to increase consumer acceptance of animal agriculture.
Janeal W. Yancey*1, 1University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR.
Social media has fundamentally changed the way people communicate. As animal scientists, we have a story to tell and information to share about agriculture, and we need to be part of this new digital conversation. In today’s environment, we see that science is constantly being denied, whether it concerns technology used in food production or the science behind vaccinations for our children. Consumers receive lots of information about their food and try to use that information to make decisions about feeding their families. Decisions about food are highly personal, and in the food industry, we must understand that facts alone do not drive the decisions consumers are making. To really reach consumers, we should be ready and willing to engage in dialog with them. Animal scientists have to embrace a listen-first mentality. We must understand a consumer’s questions before we can answer them. Be ready to embrace skepticism; to connect with someone, you must let them know that you understand their concerns. Do not dismiss them. Research from the Center for Food Integrity reveals that a Mom Scientist is the most believable messenger for consumers concerning controversial topics about food production, such as antibiotics or GMO foods. Theodore Roosevelt said, “People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care.” On social media, scientists should be more than the researcher; you need to also be a mom, a dog lover, an artist, or a runner. Shared values carry more weight with consumers over time than a PhD. Last, remember that many voices are needed to fully engage the consumer population. Embrace the diversity among animal scientists and share animal agriculture with people that you really connect with. The ultimate goal is not to win scientific or social arguments, but to connect with people in ways that you become a resource to them (and them to you) for years to come.
Key Words: advocacy, consumer education, social media
Speaker Bio
Janeal Yancey grew up in the small town of Cross Plains, Texas and attended Texas Tech University. She became interested in meat science through FFA and collegiate meat judging teams and decided to go to graduate school in meat science at Kansas State University. At Kansas State, she received both her Masters and PhD in meat science. She is currently at the University of Arkansas where she conducts research on many aspects of meat quality, from beef tenderness and ground beef color to the textural properties of bacon.
In 2011, Janeal entered the world of blogging with her Mom at the Meat Counter Blog. From this platform, she writes about meat and the meat industry from her point of view. As a mom, she knows that all moms have lots of questions about what they feed their families and as a meat scientist; she can answer a lot of their questions. Her posts range from topics about food safety and meat handling to the beef product known in the media as ‘pink slime’ and antibiotics in the meat supply.
Janeal and her husband, Ed, also a meat scientist, live in Huntsville, AR where they raise two wild daughters, Vallie and Wyn, and gentle Simmental cattle.
In 2011, Janeal entered the world of blogging with her Mom at the Meat Counter Blog. From this platform, she writes about meat and the meat industry from her point of view. As a mom, she knows that all moms have lots of questions about what they feed their families and as a meat scientist; she can answer a lot of their questions. Her posts range from topics about food safety and meat handling to the beef product known in the media as ‘pink slime’ and antibiotics in the meat supply.
Janeal and her husband, Ed, also a meat scientist, live in Huntsville, AR where they raise two wild daughters, Vallie and Wyn, and gentle Simmental cattle.
