Introduction
Seeking to craft Florida agricultural messages in a way to connect with the public, the Agriculture Institute of Florida (AIF) and the PIE Center collaborated on research to gauge the general public’s perception and understanding of commonly used words and phrases designed to communicate messages about agriculture.
Participants in four focus groups evaluated and examined more than 20 agricultural words and phrases, as well as eight photographs representing typical messages. Overall, the participants expressed both positive and negative reactions to many of the terms and phrases tested, along with some confusion and skepticism.
Key findings
Focus group participants responded favorably to words that alluded to farmers, locally grown products and the preservation of natural resources. The phrase “farm workers,” however, invoked a negative reaction with its connection to migrant workers. Three of the four focus groups determined “locally grown” had positive connotations because the participants perceived that the crops had not been shipped long distances and did not contain preservatives.
The participants thought that terms such as “green industry” and “animal rights” had a corporate, businesslike approach. All focus groups showed indecisiveness in regards to the meaning of animal rights and whether the term was positive or negative. Some participants positively mentioned groups such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, but some also discussed abuse or neglect as a facet of animal rights.
Participants stated that words and phrases such as “organic,” “food safety” and “best management practices” caused a sense of skepticism or distrust. Three of four focus groups identified the phrase “green industry” as a marketing term with questionable meaning. Similarly, most participants were confused or unfamiliar with “sustainable agriculture,” but drew a negative association between “sustainable agriculture” and corporate farms. All focus groups associated failure or distrust with best management practices.
In the first set of photographs, focus group participants had positive associations with cows grazing in a lush field instead of lying down in a wooded area. Mixed reactions followed an image of a large greenhouse. Participants appreciated the clean appearance but did not approve of the unnatural methods. The focus groups unanimously approved of a picture of a smiling family in overalls standing in a field.
Recommendations
Overall, the PIE Center recommended that agricultural communicators consider shifting their portrayal of agricultural practices from corporate terms to more personal words such as local, family and farmer. Consumers in the research stated that “best management practices” came from higher levels in an organization and didn’t feel like BMPs were implemented on a grassroots level. The PIE Center suggested that communicators highlight producers who have found success using BMPs.
Based on the focus groups’ perceptions of the two cow pictures, communicators should use images that display an easily identifiable action, such as grazing. When the focus groups couldn’t tell what the animals were doing, the participants assumed the animals were not receiving proper care. Communicators could educate consumers regarding the differences between animal rights and animal welfare, as well as the standards that must be met. Many of the participants’ references to the treatment of animals revolved around images and media seen in popular culture. Therefore, consideration should be given to introducing pro-animal agricultural images into mainstream media.
PIE Center researchers identified an opportunity to educate consumers about the definition of “sustainable growth” as well as “local” produce, as participants did not associate a solid meaning. Agriculture commodity groups and member associations could work to define “locally grown” as made or produced in Florida. Since this research, the PIE Center has secured Specialty Crop Block Grant funding to explore this possibility.
