the art and science of the ag and food conversation
DESCRIPTION
Webinar hosted by Ag More Than Ever, April, 2014. My first webinar! Really terrific opportunity (and forum)! Lots of good feedback and discussion!TRANSCRIPT
The Art &
Science of the
Ag and Food
Conversation
Ag More Than Ever
Webinar
April 16, 2014
Cami Ryan, B.Comm, Ph.D.
College of Agriculture and
Bioresources
University of Saskatchewan
AESTHETIC
RELATIONSHIP WITH
FOOD
URBAN-RURAL
DIVIDE
HUMAN COGNITIVE HABITS
PERCEPTIONS OF
EXPERTISE
THE ‘ -SCAPE’
SOCIAL
NETWORKING &
Social Media
PLATFORMS
CONVERSATIONComplex Conversational Space
A ‘First World’ relationship
with food
3
Almost 1 billion people
do not have ENOUGH food to EAT4
Photo credit: James Natchwey
‘First World’ Food Identity Crisis?
Guilt-Free Consumerism
Buying Patterns
“food holocaust”
“national eating disorder”
“too fat” “too much red meat”
“too subsidized”
“too corporate”
“too monoculture”
6
“factory farms”
‘DOOM and GLOOM’
7
The GOOD News!
40% food prep
81% clean up
25% fruits/veggies
30 yrs lifespan
“…the FOOD that we so ENJOYtoday is a
feat of human ingenuity
over NATURE’s total
indifference to us…”
Jayson Lusk, Agricultural Economist
Author, The Food Police
“…more than 500 activist organizations are SPENDING
in excess of
$2.5 billion per yearengaging in food-related campaigns.”
J.Byrne 2011
HumanCognitive
Habits
We are
CONSPIRATORIALthinkers
10
We are
CONFORMISTS
11
HumanCognitive
Habits
We seek out information
that confirms our
world views
12
HumanCognitive
Habits
We are PATTERN
seekers13
Dog noses or space aliens?
HumanCognitive
Habits
We think in
PICTURES14
Scarrrry
Vegetables!
HumanCognitive
Habits
15
‘Just in Time’ Users of Mobile Technology
72% of North Americans tap into
internet and social media
Primary social media user demographic –
21-35 yrs
Growth demographic – 45+ yrs
16
‘Just in Time’ misinformation!
Celebrity influence
17
The Dunning-Kruger Effect
less knowledgeable
moreknowledgeable
Unskilled and unaware of it!18
19
Lesson #98:
Step away
from the
soapboxThe DOCTOR
FREEUnsolicited Advice
is IN
20
CONVERSATIONLessons Learned
HOW you
communicate is more
important than WHATyou actually say.
CONVERSATIONLessons Learned
21
Conventional plant breeding Genetic engineering
MOSH PIT BALLET
Inspired by: @toqlip
22
Credit: Joan Ruskamp, Nebraska
23
CONVER
SATION
The (dreaded) Conversation
Lots of people with lots of
perspectives! Continuums
Knowledge, understanding,
expertise
Political motivators
Emotional scale (scared, angry,
curious...)
CONVER
SATION
The Strategy
1. Determine
2. Diffuse and Deflect
3. Decide
4. Dialogue
Nuances of the Dialogue…
Connect
Find common ground
It’s a conversation – not a
CONVERSION
Initiate and ask questions
Listen more, talk less, learn
Re-connect
Value the relationship MORE than
the conversation
CONVER
SATION
Sources? Connect with others that are ‘in the know’
(build your own networks)
There is growing critical mass of people
engaging in these dialogues!
‘tool up’
Use stories
Use memes
Videos and other online tools
Participate in discussion forums
27
GOAL is not to “change hearts & minds” as much as it is to
“change point of reference”
- Michele Payn-Knoper -
CONVERSATIONArt & Science - SCIENCE & Art
Go easy on yourself:
Sometimes it’s
OK to walk away
CONVERSATIONArt & Science - SCIENCE & Art
The most important
conversations you
will ever have…
10,000,000
calories
&
lots of ‘chat’
‘Hayden’ Phenotype
‘Hayden’
Genotype
30
CONVERSATIONArt & Science - SCIENCE & Art
Make real connections / avoid “educating”
May require more listening and less talking
If you hit the conversational wall, “back up the bus”
If you can’t respect the argument, respect the intent
Be brave, be confident – you know more than you think you do
It’s OK to say “I don’t know”
Use your networks; crowdsource
Lead with the narrative…
31
Improving your
position doesn’t
mean raising your
voice…
32
CONVERSATION
Accuracy
Accountability
Authenticity
…it means *finding*
your voice!
33
“PEOPLE will forget what you saidand did, but they will never forget how
you made them FEEL.”
Maya Angelou
CONVERSATION
Conversations are
relationship-building
exercises.
So, you need to start from a
‘values-based’
perspective.
Share your STORY.
35
The collective INTERPLAY of
ALL of our VOICES
CATALYST for CHANGE
doccamiryan.wordpress.com
@DocCamiRyan
Cami Ryan
37
The Art & Science of the
Ag and Food Conversation
Cami Ryan, B.Comm, Ph.D.