ENGAGING EFFECTIVELY IN

CONVERSATIONS ON
AGRICULTURE

Global Insights & Research

April 2018
headlines, debates & a science guy

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OVERVIEW OF MARKET RESEARCH
OUR OBJECTIVES:
Understand how consumers define ‘conventional’ agriculture

Discover how to best message innovation

Uncover the role of sustainability in agriculture’s story

Grassroots / Societal Influencer

 22 to 64 years old
 Highly news-engaged, 3-5
 College education or higher
 “Moveable middle” on perceptions of agriculture
 Care about their food, where it comes from, and how
it is made

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where are we at today

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PERCEPTIONS OF
‘CONVENTIONAL’ AGRICULTURE TODAY

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PRECONCEPTIONS ARE DEEPLY
ENGRAINED

What they think agriculture is Their explanation for their

trying to do: perceptions:

PROFITABILITY To be sustainable is to be
protective of the earth

$
and its resources. That is
not what pesticides do.”
–DC INFLUENCER

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 What we found in our reputation work
is also true with the industry as a whole
MOVING BEYOND GMOS
AND CROP PROTECTION Broadening awareness beyond
GMOs and Crop Protection is critical to
changing perceptions

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PERCEPTIONS OF
‘CONVENTIONAL’ AGRICULTURE TODAY
WHAT THEY DON’T ASSOCIATE WITH
AG.
Newer solutions in the industry
WHAT THEY DO ASSOCIATE WITH
AG.
Traditional, well known solutions in the industry

Reduced Plowing
Yield/Weather Data GMO Science Fertilizer
Techniques
23% 35% 57% 71%

Software, Digital Tools,

Biologicals Breeding Crop Protection
and Smartphone Apps
35% 36% 53% 69%

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WHAT CONSUMERS THINK
IS INNOVATIVE IN AGRICULTURE

Digital Tools, Software, Data Analytics 58%

Soil Microbials 47%

AG Biologicals 41%

GMOs 38%

Breeding Plants 34%

Crop Protection Products 30%

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 DIGITAL TOOLS ARE MOST
COMPELLING BECAUSE THEY
ARE:
Intuitive: They’re familiar with how digital tools are
transforming other industries
WHY IT WORKS Innovative: It’s surprising to them, it disrupts pre-
engrained images of agriculture

Beyond the plate: Helps support greater outcomes on

the farm prior to the plate, so it doesn’t come with the
same baggage as other platforms

Open road: No perceptions exist with the role of

digital tools in agriculture. Great opportunity to
connect with people and shape that narrative.

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DIGITAL TOOLS ARE
THE GATEWAY
PLATFORM…
…it’s the platform that gets them nodding along
and interested in agriculture
DIGITAL TOOLS APPLY BROADLY

Digital Tools can be applied broadly…including:

HARDWARE SOFTWARE: R&D:

FieldView, Rain Gauge In breeding,
: and others supply chain
Tractors, sensors,
and drones

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agriculture & sustainability

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LET’S START WITH WHERE WE ARE
TODAY
As an industry, “sustainability” is talked about in many
different contexts, with different meanings

Syngenta®

Bayer®

DuPont®

Land O'Lakes®

Unilever®

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HARD TRUTH #1 ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY

TO CONSUMERS, THE WORD

SUSTAINABILITY IS A BUZZWORD

Every single industry tries to say they’re sustainable.

It doesn’t mean anything anymore.

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 WHICH TYPE OF
HARD TRUTH #2 AGRICULTURE IS BETTER
ABOUT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

SUSTAINABILITY
In consumers’ minds, organic 78%
category is closely associated Said 22% Said
Conventional

with sustainability Organic

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WHAT THAT MEANS
While sustainability is an attractive concept…
the word along is no longer impactful

vs

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 WE EXPLORED HOW DO WE
COMMUNICATE OUR PURPOSE
MEANINGFULLY?

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WE TESTED WHERE CAN WE TAKE THIS
When it comes to defining sustainability,
there aren’t that many territories to explore

vs vs

BETTER FOOD MORE FOOD FOOD GROWN

USING FEWER
RESOURCES

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 WHICH IS MORE
IMPORTANT
TO YOU PERSONALLY?

TWO EFFECTIVE
MESSAGES 49% 51%
Use Fewer Produce
Natural More
Resources Food

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WHERE WE
NEED TO MOVE WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT
THE NEEDLE TO YOU PERSONALLY? THAT
AGRICULTURE…

If we look only at the people

who are less favorable
toward modern agriculture, 77% Produce
they prefer an Use 23 %
More Food
Fewer
environmental focus over Natural
producing more food 3 to 1 Resource
s

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 OUR TRUTH

CONNECTING WITH THEIR

EXPECTATIONS ABOUT
THE ENVIRONMENT THEIR TRUTH

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BRINGING THE STORY TO LIFE
These are some, but not all, of the ways you can bring “using less” to life

TOPIC DIGITAL TOOLS AND DATA HELP AG USE LESS BY …

• Helping farmers use only as much fertilizer and pesticides as necessary.

• Helping farmers know which rotations of crops will support soil health so they can apply
LAN fewer nutrients and make fewer runs across a field in tractors.
D
• Delivering insights on when and where to selectively run farm equipment such as tractors.

ENER
GY
• Gathering information from monitors that measure soil moisture, so farmers know exactly
when and where they need to water, and when and where they do not.
WATE
R
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BRINGING THE STORY TO LIFE
Digital tools and data helping Ag to use Fewer resources
LAN
D GY
Focus on ways we are doing more
on each acre/hectare, including
but not limited to:
• Planting density practices
• Yield improvement/gains on farm
through seeds and agronomic
planting
• Crop systems (e.g. multi crop
planting, cover crops)
• Ag practices that help reduce or
better manage soil erosion or
improve soil health
• Practices that preserve or protect
biodiversity
ENER
Focus on ways agriculture is using
less energy on farms or in our
own operations including but not
limited to:
• Trips across the field
• Fuel usage on farm
• Precise application on treating for
pests/disease
• Use of nitrogen practices
WATE
R
Focus on ways agriculture is using
less water per unit or more
efficient practices in our own
operations including but not
limited to:
• Irrigation practices
• Sensor examples
• Supply chain practices
• Production examples compared to
historic rainfall (e.g. less water per
bushel)
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CONNECTING ON ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY AROUND THE WORLD
Even with respect to the environment, there are a
number of ways we might talk about sustainability

Be more precise with when and where they

BE MORE PRECISE apply water, nutrients, and pest control
Use resources more wisely by reducing waste
WASTE LESS
Making operations more recyclable and self-
BE SELF-SUSTAINING sustaining
Maximize the potential of every acre of land, ounce
GET THE MOST OUT OF WHAT of water and watt of energy

WE PUT IN Use fewer/less natural resources

USE FEWER/LESS RESOURCES

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KEY TO TONE: PACE IS #1

EVOLUTION vs REVOLUTION

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KEY TO TONE: FOCUS ON WHAT
MATTERS TO THEM #2

LOOKING
FORWARD
vs LOOKING BACK

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LACK OF CONSISTENCY ACROSS
AGRICULTURE
An important language discovery. Consistency remains important as we look to broaden
the perception of the practices and benefits of agriculture

CURRENT STATE
Inconsistent voice and use of terminology within category – CONSISTENCY
Step 1
exists across organizations and associations

Several terms FAMILIARITY

Step 2

Many different phrases

TRUST
Step 3
Traditional, Conventional, Large-scale, Commercial, Smart
farming, Inorganic, Industrial, Improved, Innovative,
Precision, Intensified, Hi-tech, Resilient, Sustainable, Digital, 20+ LOYALTY
Step 4

Climate-Smart, Today’s, Mainstream, Modern farming,

Modern agriculture, Modern/agricultural innovations, Small- EVANGELISM
Step 5

scale, Urban, Local, Agroecological, Conservation

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THANK YOU
WHY ”USING FEWER
NATURAL RESOURCES” WORKS

IT’S AUTHETIC IT ALIGNS WITH

TO BOTH CONSUMER’S IT’S OWNABLE
definition of sustainability
CONSUMERS &
GROWERS

Growers, who see

themselves as stewards of
the land, echo that using IT’S POSITIVE IT’S SIMPLE
less is in the long-term
interest of the
industry overall

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