Digital the way to tell farm story

Rural people need to tell their farm stories to customers on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, says a media consultant.

Grassroots Media owner and consultant Chelsea Millar told about 30 people attending a talk on the Primary Sector’s Social Capital in a rural business network meeting in Manawatu that New Zealand’s farm story needed to be told and this should be done by mobile phones which had become hugely popular around the world.

Millar said Ireland had Origin Green and Canada had an agricultural promotion which were working, but New Zealand had nothing and clean, green was past its use-by date.

She said digital devices were the way to get the New Zealand farm message out with so many customers using them now.

Millar said New Zealand had nothing as strong as the rural story in the marketplace.

‘‘A lot of people are disconnected with where there food comes from. And consumers want something real – show them how you draft cattle. Be transparent and tell them your story. Use social media to talk about how you grow stock and how it ended up on their plate.’’

She said 90 per cent of New Zealand had acess to broadband but blackspots existed, often in rural areas.

Rural people needed to use social media where they could, she said.

‘‘To hammer home rural stories and be honest. if you don’t look good, out on the farm, that’s real. People want honesty, even if you think it is a bad look. People can tell if it is a promotion straight away and they won’t stay. So be transparent and tell the farm story.’’