The topic of journalism ethics is near and dear to my heart. From my early days in the trenches as a community newspaper reporter, I often experienced attempts to influence my work and learned quickly how important it was to have guidelines to help me respond to those attempts.

I recently had the chance to highlight the American Agricultural Editor’s Association’s progress in the area of ethics during the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists’ Congress in Belgium. I was invited to participate in a panel discussion about the pressures on journalists.

Few countries’ ag communicator organizations have been as proactive as American ag journalists on the topic of ethics. Thanks to increased emphasis in the past five years, we have adopted a code of ethics for both our active and affiliate members. Case studies are in the process of being developed as a companion to the affiliate code.

We’ve come a long way. But as I prepared for the panel discussion in Belgium, I wondered how our audience perceives our efforts. We’re still looking for funding for a nationwide survey of farmers to gather more statistically valid information on this topic, but in the meantime I conducted an informal survey of 12 Iowa farmers.

The good news: All 12 say they rely on farm magazines for unbiased information. For the most part, the farmers trust the information they read, but most commented that the trust is related to the journalist who wrote the story and the sources used to provide information. If farmers don’t know the writer or the source, they are more skeptical of the information.

The need to know who is writing the story and the sources cited is new since my research for my master’s thesis in 2006. Until we’re able to conduct a much more extensive survey, I can only speculate, but my sense is that knowing the writers and sources helps farmers weed through the barrage of information they receive.

All the farmers I surveyed say they stop reading publications that provide information that is incorrect or seems too influenced by advertisers.

Overall, the farmers believe agricultural journalists want to get the story right and present information in an unbiased manner.

So, while farmers still trust the information they read in farm publications, there are caveats. They notice when they’re being influenced or misled inappropriately, and they will simply stop reading a publication if this happens.  Therefore, we must continue our work to safeguard the integrity of our agricultural publications if we want to preserve farmers’ trust.

The Iowa Soybean Association’s District 5 Advisory Council met recently, and as part of the activities during that meeting Amanda Wall of ISA and Greg Tylka of Iowa State University facilitated a discussion to help us understand how best to serve farmers when communicating about production research.

There were some interesting outcomes. The group represents a small sample, but is an example how we can learn from our engaged leaders now and in the future. Here are just a few of the results:

• Overall, the farmers in this group first turn to agribusiness agronomy staff for crop production information.
• Half of the farmers in this group prefer to get their information via print and the Internet, with 40 percent saying they want the information via the Internet. 10 percent say they want their information only in a print format.
• For print materials, 78 percent prefer one-page fact sheets while 22 percent prefer multiple-page magazine inserts.
• Seventy percent of those surveyed said they would use information delivered to a smart phone.
• Seventy percent also say they would like to receive soybean information at in-person meetings.
• While 60 percent said they would like to receive soybean production information in web-based seminars, 40 percent said they are not interested in receiving information in this format.
• Very few of the farmers (20 percent) are interested in receiving soybean production information in downloadable audio or video podcasts. However, this number, when compared to earlier ISA surveys, demonstrates increased interest.
• When asked about topics on which they would like to see more information, soil fertility was a priority, followed by disease management and tillage.

Warmer weather and the calendar are prompting Iowa farmers to start thinking about getting into the fields. Me too – except this year, when I hit the field, it will be with a video camera.

The manufacturers of the new generation of video cameras make it sound so easy. “Just record your video and post directly to YouTube!” they say. But I don’t think I’m the only one who has found shooting video a bit more complicated than the manufacturers suggest.

That said, there’s no question video is more accessible than ever. I first attempted to post video while I was traveling in China last year. It wasn’t easy, because YouTube, the social media site on which we planned to post our videos, isn’t accessible there. I posted a couple of unedited video clips on Flickr, but the basic Flickr account limits the number of videos uploaded to two per month.

Since then, I’ve been thinking more about what we want to accomplish with the videos we create, and how to balance ISA members’ video needs with available staff time.

First, we don’t want to bore anyone. Who wants to see several minutes, much less several hours, of unedited raw video?  Video editing is a skill that (so far) eludes me, but I’m fortunate to have coworkers who are willing to help. 

Second, how do you balance all the news gathering activities? Invariably, when I’m shooting video I feel as though I’m missing some great still shots, or missing something important someone is saying.  Perhaps this comes with practice, or a higher level of multi-tasking abilities. Greg Lamp, editor of The Corn And Soybean Digest, offers great advice: He suggests identifying three points from a presentation and asking the presenter about them afterward so you can capture the concise version on video. I like Greg’s idea; it means I don’t have to media multi-task.

Third, sometimes it doesn’t make sense to shoot video just because you can. There should be a compelling reason to watch what has been captured on video.

An article titled “Simple steps for Better Video” in the most recent issue of Associations Now, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives, offers this great advice:

• Know your messages: Know what you want to say, and make sure you have a beginning, middle and end mapped out.
• Be prepared: If you are interviewing a guest, make sure you do a pre-interview before the shoot.
• Where will you shoot? It’s easy to forget the importance of a good background.
• Get what are called “safety shots”: If your guest says something great, shoot it a second or third time, just to be safe.
• Get what the industry calls B-roll (meaning background footage) and listening shots: Shoot video you can use to replace “the talking head” such as having the interviewer “listening” or relevant background pictures.
• Outline your editing: Have a script that outlines the audio and visual aspects of the video. The editing process will go much faster and smoother if you’re prepared from beginning to end.
• Keep it concise: Videos should be no more than three minutes.

Becoming adept at video is important to journalists and communicators alike. This spring I’ll approach this project like any other, with a plan. I’ll share the results. As a baseline, here is a link to my first educational video on how to scout for soybean rust: www.iasoybeans.com/productionresearch/soybeanrustvideo/soybeanrust.html

If you have tips for capturing great video, please post them in the comments section.

Source: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications. Graphic courtesy of The Des Moines Register

 As I watched Olympic games coverage recently, noting that many of the athletes train on foreign soil and in some cases have never visited the countries for which they compete, I wondered how long it will take before competing as countries becomes irrelevant  in sports, and in agriculture.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, more than 1 billion people go hungry every day, and with the United Nations (UN) predicting the population to top 9 billion by 2050 (an increase from 6.8 billion today), this number will surely increase.

The UN also claims the growing global population means that agricultural production may need to increase by 70 percent using the same amount of land and water.  

Technology advancements must continue in order to meet global food demand.

According to a survey by the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, Brazilian farmers quadrupled their plantings of genetically modified corn last year to move into second place behind the United States in biotech plantings. However, the group taps China, now ranked sixth, to significantly increase production of biotech crops following approval by its government of genetically engineered varieties of rice and corn.

“These approvals are momentous and have enormous implications for biotech crop adoption not only for China and Asia, but for the whole world,” the report said. It is thought that China’s action may spur other developing countries to adapt the technology.

I realize competition is a good and necessary part of doing business, but with the pressures of feeding a hungry world mounting, I hope that we can find ways to cooperate globally to assure our success.  The stakes are high if we fail to do so.

As I charged all my communications equipment for a recent trip, it struck me how much the communications industry has changed.

For example, when I was a cub reporter, the tools of the trade were simple – a pen, paper, a typewriter and a manual 35 mm camera.

Now my “toolbox” includes a Blackberry, a small laptop computer, digital cameras, a digital audio recorder and a tiny video camera.

The new technology offers efficiencies, and learning new skills adds an interesting element to my work.  I certainly appreciate the convenience of my Blackberry (Don’t even try to pry it out of my hands!) and the ability to preview photos on my camera before leaving the shoot is priceless.

But I miss some things from the early days, such as the magic of seeing a photo appear in the developing tray and getting the shot you hoped for. Or the sound of a symphony of typewriters across the newsroom.

The need to stay on top of technology underscores the importance of professional improvement.  Training doesn’t have to be expensive, but we do need to continuously learn new things to keep pace during this time of rapid change.

Fortunately, the same technology we’re trying to master enables us to learn from experts from across the country, without leaving the comfort of our offices.

 The American Agricultural Editors’ Association  (AAEA) recently hosted a photography webinar highlighting the talents of our own members. If you missed it, you can find it by visiting www.ageditors.com. Watch for more AAEA-sponsored learning opportunities via webinars, but here are other opportunities:

• AAEA contests. The judges’ critiques are a valuable third-party evaluation of your work.
• The regional meeting May 4 in Des Moines. The planning committee for this event is planning a day jam-packed with learning opportunities.
• The Ag Media Summit in July 25-28 in St. Paul. AMS is well-known for its unparalleled professional improvement sessions, and this year is no exception. You’ll find a wide variety of choices in this year’s program.

Watch the AAEA Web site for details on all these opportunities and more.

A report on CNN.com today questions whether Twitter, the micro-blogging site, has peaked because the number of visitors to the site has flat-lined since last summer. Is this trend really a surprise?

Any teenager or young adult will tell you that as soon as adults start using a social media site it becomes un-cool, destined to fall by the wayside. Not that Twitter is dead, not by a long shot. I am a Twitter user, but I don’t post regularly. Time is an issue, but I’ve also realized that my life seems pretty mundane when I consider answering Twitter’s question, “What’s happening?”  Although I do recognize a purpose for micro-blogging, I don’t spend more than a few minutes per week posting my status or monitoring the activities of my Tweeps. This all being said, I wonder what the next hot social media site will be and how I will find time to participate.

Our strategy has been to focus more on the message than the medium. We participate in social media, but not at the expense of traditional communication strategies. The words “social” and “digital” are not synonymous. In one of my most recent posts, I shared that some farmers are using smart phones as their primary source of information. Some of them are participating in social media, but far more are seeking digital information. Particularly for farmers, accessing information in a mobile format available 24/7 makes a lot of sense. Our goal is to figure out what information is most useful and provide it in the best format for our farmer audience.

Big picture, our focus as an association has shifted from simply seeking awareness of who we are and what we offer, to striving to engage our farmer members in a two-way conversation. By engaging our farmer-members, we will be able to serve them in a way we couldn’t have foreseen even a few years ago. The digital medium will help facilitate that engagement process.  However, we are focusing on engaging in a two-way conversation with our audience instead of a one-way monologue (or micro-blog as the case may be), regardless of the medium.

In the wake of the disastrous earthquake that struck Haiti this week, technology has provided a much-needed link to the outside world. With phone lines and cell phone towers down, communication has been a major challenge.

According to Jason Palmer, science and technology reporter for BBC News, Twitter is being used as a prime channel for communications, while sites such as Ushahidi are providing maps detailing aid and damage. Both Google and Facebook are producing missing person lists. And satellite networks are also diverting resources to provide communications to aid agencies and the military.

While social media can provide a lifeline in situations like this, there are challenges as well. BBC’s Palmer reported the transmission of misinformation. Some media platforms are working on verification systems to assure information is accurate.

Obviously there is still need for the traditional communications infrastructure, but social media can fill a gap before those services are restored.

Disasters of this magnitude illustrate the importance of communication in a time when instant, global access is largely taken for granted.

If you’d like to help the people of Haiti, visit www.redcross.org.

There is much talk in the communications world about social media. What first appeared to be a passing fad is now part of most communication strategies. Most of the agriculture industry has adopted social media at some level, but what about those we serve, farmers?

A number of surveys published lately (including ISA surveys) place farmer Internet use at about 76 to 79 percent. An increasing number of growers are using the Internet for longer periods of time and to obtain information, not just to check e-mail. In general, the larger the farming operation, the more likely the grower is to use the Internet.

There are two interesting trends of which I’d like to make note. First, the vast majority of growers using the Internet now have access to high-speed Internet. Federal funding to expand broadband across rural areas seems to be having an impact. One grower I spoke to recently pointed out that some service providers are now discontinuing dialup connections. This increased access to high-speed Internet changed how we communicate with our members. Although we are still aware that some growers might be using dialup, most are not, allowing us to present the information in a more technologically sophisticated manner. 

The second trend: Just because some growers don’t use the Internet much at their desks doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in obtaining information. Some growers who spend little time at their desks are skipping over the use of a bulky computer, accessing information via smart phones. Information now needs to be accessible in a wide variety of formats. ISA will soon launch its first smart phone “publications.” Stay tuned . . .

What about growers’ use of social media? Some would maintain that farmers don’t Twitter and never will. Should social media be the main focus of your efforts to communicate with growers? Definitely not. However, some growers do use Twitter and other social media. It’s not a large percentage, but that audience can’t simply be ignored, particularly since some social media provide a method by which growers can communicate their message very effectively to the general public. Growers certainly do like to access information via video and podcast. ISA’s offerings in these areas are growing steadily in popularity.

As a communications professional or journalist, it is a challenge to balance the use of all these mediums, and the time devoted to them. My advice is to start. Befriend some patient growers who are willing to be your guinea pigs and see what happens. Jump in and try it.

I began blogging while on a trade mission to China and Taiwan last spring. It made complete sense to use the blog format to share my experiences in a way that would appeal to a number of audiences – Iowa Soybean Association members, media colleagues, the general public, friends and family.

It was very rewarding to use my many years of reporting experience to tell the stories of the people we met during the trip, but using different media, like video and audio reports, to do so.

But once I got back into daily routines here, I wondered how I should proceed. After all, the trip to Asia was a true event. How could I make daily professional life exciting enough for someone to want to read?

Then I read a blog titled “Simplicity Redefined” by Zen Habits author Leo Babauta. He advises that instead of focusing on clearly defined goals or outcomes that don’t always turn out the way we want, we should not force outcomes – we should let them happen and be open to what emerges.

His words re-emerged during a discussion at our office about redesigning our Web site. When we determined that we wanted to beef up our media room on the Web site and create a more interactive space, the light bulb went on . . . here is where and why my blog fits.

If I had pushed forward with a blog for blog’s sake, I may have not found the right purpose for it. As Babauta says, “You can plan and plan and plan, but there is just no way to know how things will turn out.” Now, this is not to say one should not plan. I love planning. I’m a champion list maker. But perhaps being open to possibilities is part of the equation, too.

“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu

Combine a name like mine with an effort to demystify agricultural communications, and you get It’s Simple. Here, I plan to address the issues I, and others, face in our profession. My goal is to have It’s Simple promote dialogue, debate and information sharing. Please join me!