Dialogue with the public pays off

Transformation of the sector as a task of society as a whole

Farmers cannot handle the way to an environmentally sound, socially fair and economically sustainable agriculture, with at the same time strong production. At the moment, the agricultural sector is making every effort to supply people with high-quality food. At the same time, the production of food gets more and more expensive because of the increasing energy prices and other operating costs. In this respect, we depend on the support of society – whether politicians or consumers. For the transformation of the sector is a task of society as a whole we all have to tackle. To do so an open dialogue at eye level is essential.

We, the Forum Moderne Landwirtschaft, have been conducting this dialogue for years – whether via our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube etc. or in a direct discusson in market squares or at the live-experience farm at the International Green Week. Our activities are centred around the AgrarScouts – 650 communication-oriented farmers who give our sector a new face.

Consumer monitor shows mood of society

And our readiness to engage in dialogue pays off: the image of modern agriculture among consumers is assessed significantly more favourable today than two years ago. This trend is clearly shown in the Consumer Monitor Modern Agriculture that we have been publishing regularly for two years in co-operation with the pollsters from civey and the university Kiel.¹

Especially topics like animal welfare or climate protection are noticed in a considerably more positive way when talking about modern agriculture. This positive trend is currently only disturbed by the agricultural-relevant political events that are discussed at length in the media.²

What is striking is the positive development that started in June 2021. At that time, the final report of the Future Commission Agriculture was passed and presented, too. In our opinion, an important reason for this positive trend is that the agricultural sector has not only shown its readiness for change with regard to sustainability but also sticks to this readiness for change and communicates it actively.

Innovation and digitalisation as important companions of the transformation

But: although in the past 40 years modern agriculture developed into a high-tech sector where due to state-of-the-art technology more focus can be put on animal welfare, climate protection and sustainability, the Consumer Monitor shows that especially sectors like digitalisation and innovation are perceived negatively by the consumers. This is why in our opinion it is extremely important that our sector transports exactly these topics and combines them with positive examples. Especially the topic innovation should be considered to have a wider range than mere digitalisation. What hides behind it, in fact is innovation as a mindset of farmers, detached from the mere agricultural engineering sector or the use of new technologies.