Changes In The BEEF Industry
At first thought I would not put together cattle ranching and social media. Social media has a negative connotation towards older groups of people as being too complicated and refusing to jump on new trends. However, this next generation that is moving into the cattle ranching business is incorporating these tools into their daily operations and the benefits are astounding.
BEEF Magazine shared some points on their website as to why people should embrace social media, those included, “engaging in conversation, participating in the community, following leaders, conversing from an agricultural perspective, monitoring trends and patterns, sharing best practices, and getting answers to problems” (Radke).
Season Solorio, director of issues management for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), says that the two major ways to reach an audience online is proactively and defensively. For that reason, BEEF has two websites to fit the needs of two different audience types. BEEF It's Whats For Dinner, is a campaign to promote the benefits of incorporating beef into a healthy diet. On the other hand, they also have Facts About Beef, which answers the tough questions about ranching and helps to expose common myths about the beef industry. Both of these affiliations are on Twitter and Youtube and are constantly updating and informing the public.
This topic is important to me because, coming from a cattle ranching family, it has always been so obvious to me the work that goes into raising cattle and producing the food that we all eat. However, as I have gotten older and moved away for college it has become very apparent to me that people do not know where their food comes from, and most don’t even question it.
Bringing the beef industry into social media would be not only beneficial in communicating between ranchers, but also informing the public and having individuals get more involved in where their food really comes from.
First Step: Facebook
Facebook is a great first step for anyone new to social media. Facebook has news feed, friends, a timeline, likes and reactions, comments, direct messaging, and even private groups based on interest. Facebook groups are especially unique because they are spaces for people with similar interests to discuss and share about topics of any kind. It is an arena for open discussion and that is something that would be beneficial for people on all ends.
Cattle ranchers should consider creating Q & A beef groups for questioning people, as well as a group amongst ranchers to talk and discuss new technologies, techniques, etc..
Instagram & Engagements
In addition to Facebook being an important source of communication through social media, Instagram is also very influential. Instagram has grown so much in the last decade and continues to grow today.
One thing that makes Instagram a great place to begin sharing, is its engagements feature. This allows business owners to look at who is viewing your content and where you are showing up in people's feeds. When people constantly look at your posts, they will begin offering similar pages. Which is what leads me to my last point, a hashtag campaign for the beef industry.
In the picture below, you can see that the California Beef Council posted a photo showing the protein benefits and how to maintain a healthy diet while staying active.
A Revolutionary Hashtag Campaign
With the small percentage of people involved in agriculture in the U.S., specifically cattle ranching, the large number of people on social media should have the opportunity to learn about where their food is coming from and how they can appreciate it more. This can be done strategically through a hashtag campaign.
Looking closely at ways media communications can be integrated into agriculture, one way we can do this is by starting a hashtag campaign and spreading admiration for the workers and the animals. However, before we start a big campaign it is important for ranchers to take the steps to get to that point.
First, they need to get on social media and start posting photos and videos of their everyday work. Next, they will need to create a following of people to reach when we begin the hashtag. Finally, ranchers will need to get in touch through Cattlemen's Associations in order to create a hashtag that is light hearted and meaningful at the same time.
The final product of a beef positive campaign would be revolutionary for the cattle ranching industry and would bring immense benefits. Not only would it be informative to the public, it would allow news to be spread rapidly without waiting on the 5 o'clock news. Additionally, having ranchers share techniques is a wonderful way to build a community and improve livestock.
Chloe Bernal
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