Twitter and other social media find farmers

It would take a textbook to describe the changes that have occurred in agriculture over the years. All the way from a guy with a stick in a field to a farmer with a GPS navigated John Deere tractor.

For farmers, much of their time is spent in all the different seasons, in some kind of equipment in an open field: spraying, harvesting, combining. All of this taking place in cabs of tractors. Though it is important to monitor the goings-on inside and outside the equipment, going less than five mph leaves a good amount of time for contemplation, introspection and Twitter.

Yes, Twitter. Along with Facebook, MySpace and any number of blogs.

Farmers, ranchers and producers can connect with friends and consumers from the palm of their hand anywhere, even in the cab of a tractor.

One major way producers have been using social media is creating groups on sites like Facebook advocating for issues such as animal agriculture and fighting stereotypes of factory farms.

Facebook and Twitter allow producers to share more detailed information with consumers, such as exactly how many bags are in a semi load of popcorn.

"It is helping us to connect with the consumer," said Kirstin Witte, a freshman agricultural education major from Scribner, Neb. "It is helping us to bridge the consumer-producer gap."

It is important to give a face, as well as a voice, to agriculture, Witte added.

This technology is helping agriculturalists here in Nebraska, as well as in other states, associate with each other to improve agriculture and learn about issues affecting farmers in other states – from legislation to the weather.

To no surprise, much of the social media generated by farmers is produced by and followed by people under 30.

"It gives people that don't live near the farm a glimpse of farm life," said Ellie Hoffschneider, a freshman agricultural journalism major.

She added that those who live in urban areas are interested in knowing more about a life they know nothing about, and social media gives them the opportunity to do just that.

Farming has come a long way from a guy in a field with a stick all the way to a farmer with a tractor in a field with Twitter.

ashleyburns@dailynebraskan.com