New research outlines the key obstacles in adopting conservation agriculture practices, and how the path of least resistance forward is via ag retail.
Ag retailers are some of the most trusted of a farmer’s stable of advisors. Syngenta, in partnership with America’s Conservation Ag Movement, recently used Farm Journal data and intelligence to dig into that relationship and how it can be leveraged to carry conservation adoption forward.
Questions Answered
Through behavioral, demographic, psychographic intelligence as well as quantitative research done in the Corn Belt, the partnership uncovered a variety of interesting insights from ag retailers, including what holds them back from bridging the conservation gap with their customers.
The report, available now through Trust In Food, sought to understand the following key questions from the perspectives of ag retailers:
- How willing are you to advise farmers on conservation topics?
- What factors influence discussions with farmers about soil health and conservation?
- Which key barriers or incentives could motivate you to help these conversations advance?
Key Sentiments and Findings
- 62% of retailers reported they believed that farmers were satisfied with the status quo and would be unwilling to abandon current farming techniques to adopt conservation practices on their farms.
- 37% believe farmers have a lack of awareness of conservation practices
- 25% believe conservation is not aligned with farmer goals
What Resonates With Ag Retailers, Resonates With Farmers
To shift the tide, the report found that ag retailers could be the key, based upon their significant level of trust with farmers, but only if the retailer “authentically believed that the practices would help their customers achieve their goals.”
Accomplishing that, according to the report, means companies and organizations in the value chain need to arm the retail sector with the information they need to reach that level of comfort, including:
- Providing a steady drumbeat of messaging and material
Conservation is not a one-size-fits-all approach and retailers need support from value chain leaders to keep that conversation going with customers.
- Using the correct terminology
Different terms and phrases resonate differently with audiences. The report looked into which terms are preferred by retailers in the Corn Belt, encouraging value chain partners to select carefully the terminology used when providing conservation messaging.
- Embedding conservation into existing conversations
Retailers need communications that connect conservation to existing motivators, such as risk mitigation and long-term financial viability for farms.
- Helping to build existing relationships
Retailers believe that providing conservation advice can be an added value that helps to strengthen relationships with farmer-customers.
To learn more from the report, visit Trust In Food. To learn more about the public-private partnership that fuels conservation adoption, visit America’s Conservation Ag Movement.
