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Innovative Approaches to Communications. Picture it: 1987-1988. Activists target agriculture Diet for a New America Toronto Humane Society radicals. Picture it: 1987-1988. Divided we fall… Farm leaders in Ontario decided to work together and form a coalition.
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Picture it: 1987-1988 • Activists target agriculture • Diet for a New America • Toronto Humane Society radicals
Picture it: 1987-1988 • Divided we fall… • Farm leaders in Ontario decided to work together and form a coalition. • OFAC Motto: “Promoting the Excellence of Animal Agriculture” • React. Fight. Defend. Us vs. them.
Fast forward to today… • www.themeatrix.com • Clever. Edgy. Funny. Online. • Part 2: April 2006 on dairy & “factory farms” • PETA budget increases from $24 to $28 million in one year.
Where is OFAC today? • 2004: Know the fighters. Stop the fight. • OFAC Motto: “The Voice of Animal Agriculture” • We want to have a conversation. • Reallocate resources to 80% proactive work. • Aim to be positive, proactive, professional.
Where are we today? • Do the right thing. Tell people about it. • Tell our story. With emotion. • Top Three Tactics: • Edutainment works. • Boost online efforts. • Focus on media.
Communicating… with the consumer • OFAC displays at 75 events in 2005; reaching 3 million • Educational events reaching 53,000 school children • OPRAH - spokesrobot
The Real Dirt on Farming • Unique – One stop shopping on farm & food issues. • Issues based on consumer surveys • Facts & fun • National distribution – media, libraries, teachers, politicians • Sold out first 15,000 copies in three weeks!
Boost Online Efforts…farmissues.com • High school teacher/student resource • Photo/Video Library • Media Info Centre • Virtual Farm Tours • More needed!!!
Focus on Media Media Tours to farms: Focus on Food Writers 40 reporters in London, Toronto, Ottawa in 2005
Faces of Farming CalendarGood news maker ~ stereotype breaker • Target: media, politicians, local businesses
Do we have a chance? • Farmers are well-liked and trusted. • People aren’t sure who we are or what we do. • It’s up to us to introduce ourselves. • We need to think BIG. • We have to work harder to make the news. • We need to rally the troops throughout the supply chain.
Keep trying! Crystal Mackay cmackay@ofac.org (519) 837-1326 www.ofac.org www.farmissues.com