In addition to keeping track of the kids and grandkids, Facebook and Twitter can help farm families keep positive messages in front of the ever-increasing number of people who have no direct connection to agriculture.
"Farmers have a heck of a story to tell," said Dan Toland, communications specialist with Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. "There's no better way than to connect with people and tell it."
As Ohio celebrates Agriculture Week this week, social media can play a role in educating people about the importance of farming and tell the real story of behind family farms. Generating $98 billion a year statewide, agriculture is the state's No. 1 industry, employing one of every seven Ohioans.
But most people don't know that.
During a class on navigating Facebook and Twitter at Tiffin-Seneca Public Library Thursday evening, Toland said it's not the statistical facts and figures that help people understand agriculture. It's stories about farming as a way of life.
"They (the general public) want to know who you are as a person," he said. "They want to know they can trust you. They just want to connect with the farmer as a person."
Enter Facebook and Twitter.
"This gives us a chance to tell our story," Toland said. "It's pretty hard for somebody to call you a factory farming if you're showing a newborn calf and ask what you should name it. It's showing your human side.
"The majority of people use it (social media) for personal connections," he said. "Not a lot of people know how to use it for professional connections. On Twitter in particular there's a very dedicated and growing group of agriculturalists."
Toland said the active ag community started with one person.
"She stated AgChat every Tuesday night and it just took off like wildfire," Toland said.
Now, a growing number of farmers are using Twitter daily.
"I really think agriculture and farmers are some of the most active users out there," Toland said. "It's like having the coffee shop right there on your computer.
"People are impressed and taken by surprise when they find farmers are tweeting and facebooking from the seats of their tractors," he said. "Farmers are using technology all the time. We use GPS. Dairies track how much milk each cow produces. There are (livestock) identity tracking systems. They use technology every day so much and a lot of people don't see that."
Farmers are taking video from the combine cab as they run down a field to show people how it works. They're sharing pictures of calves and piglets. They're showing how to milk a cow.
Sometimes, Toland said farmers say they don't have time for social media.
"You need to take the time," he said. "You have to make communication part of what you do. I definitely recommend getting the family involved. Give them a job. Start using these things as tools.
"Show that you're a family farm," he said.
"In today's society, farms pretty much have to be thinking about communication, a PR plan," he said. "Farmers are only 2 percent of the population. A lot of people are growing further and further from the farm.
"There are groups out there will alternative views that are defining what farmers are," he said. "These tools are helping to level the playing field."
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