Farmers Show Technology at SXSW

The South By Southwest is THE tech place to be. This is the place to learn about technology in all its uses and perspectives. This year there is a connection of a different kind being represented at SXSW - and it's as close as your plate!

"You probably don't farm. But you do eat. How do we bridge the communication gap between the 2% of the population who are farmers, and the remaining 98% of people? Technology. The AgChat Foundation is working to end the divide between agricultural producers and the public by training farmers and advocates, developing strategic "agvocacy" campaigns, analyzing data, and funding scholarships. It's all part of helping everyone understand the production of food, fiber, and fuel in its many faces and how technology is changing everything." This is part of the description for the presentation, slated for Sunday the 13^th, Agvocacy 2.0: Adding a Human Voice to the Farm.

No matter who we are or what we do we all eat. Jeff Fowle, president of the AgChat Foundation is one of several farmers and ranchers traveling to SXSW to connect with people. "Our panel will be a mix; I'm sharing what the (AgChat) Foundation is doing - what our mission is and the philosophy that no matter what size, production methods, type of crop or livestock...ALL agriculture - and empowering them to reach out to the consumer."

That Foundation was started as a grass roots organization of farmers and ranchers of all sizes and from all walks of life. In August of 2010 the first AgChat Conference was held, with 50 people attending from all over the USA from those farming with raised beds and small scale poultry to those with thousands of hogs and harvesting tracts of land with high tech combines.

Jeff continued "From comments I have received, there is still a lot of disbelief that farmers/ranchers are using social media. It's a chance to meet four people, from different parts of agriculture, who are active online."

Who to follow? For everyone who eats and is interested in where and how your food is produced, it's highly recommended to follow those presenting at SXSW. Each Tuesday evening farmers and ranchers meet at #agchat except for the third Tuesday of each month is #Foodchat - where the topic is food itself, from wine to baking to food safety.

@JeffFowle - Jeff is a hird generation family farmer and rancher from Etna, California. He and his wife Erin and son Kyle raise registered Angus cattle, Percheron draft horses, warmblood horses, alfalfa and alfalfa-grass hay and grain as a rotation. As president of the AgChat foundation, he is among the leaders encouraging others of all sized farms to tell their stories with social media.

@chrischinn - Chris is a family farmer often accused of being a "factory farm". Even in the blowing snow of blizzards this winter she and her family worked diligently to keep feed in front of the animals, and their hogs were comfortable inside barns rather than outside in sub zero temperatures. She did a video as a tour of their hog barns, and is deeply committed to sharing with consumers how modern pork production works. Chris manages the production and financial records for the family's 1,500 sow farrow-to-finish hog operation, as well as the family feed mill. She and her husband also have a small cow-calf herd, as well as 140 acres of alfalfa hay.

@zjhunn Zach Hunnicutt is from another family farm. "Ag has always been about technology. Technological innovation IS tradition. Now we have smartphones to tell people about it" As his Twitter description Zach says "My family and I turn sun, rain, soil, and seed into corn, popcorn, and soybeans in south-central Nebraska, and my wife and I have two kids." Technology allows the family to farm as they do.

@ezweber Emily is a farm mom, raising two young boys while providing a customer face for Zweber Farms. When you see Zweber farms online it's often Emily behind it, in between caring for youngsters both two and four legged and doing customer outreach locally. She and her husband Tim operate an organic dairy and direct sell chicken, pork and beef to customers in their area.

Jeff commented "This is an outstanding opportunity to meet 4 indivuals who are very open and transparent & discuss with those producing food, fuel and fiber." Whether you're attending SXSW or not, if you eat you're involved in agriculture. It's deceptive to think agriculture isn't tech savvy - so much so that another hashtag was created - #agnerds to discuss tech topics related to agriculture!

Don't miss a chance at SXSW to meet farmers and ranchers, learn how technology is used in agriculture and engage with some that are very visible online often on #agchat on Twitter.