When I first heard people saying the word, “Agvocate,” I tried repeating it and realized it’s not an easy word to say. But here’s the good news: it’s much harder to say “agvocate” than it is to be an agvocate.
The word agvocate was coined by Mike Haley, a fifth generation Ohio farmer, and it’s become a movement that has been fun and inspiring to watch. It’s never been more important for those of us involved in food production to tell the story of modern agriculture – to remind people that a modern farm is still, almost always, a family farm. Greater understanding is accomplished when farmers share with their “urban neighbors” how food is grown, the number of hours it takes and the labor required, as well as the heart and soul that goes into producing food for the world.
Agvocating has been an amazing movement to watch thus far. If you’re ready to become a part of it, I urge you to get involved. Sign up for Twitter, share the story of your farm on a family blog, or simply remember to talk about the importance of modern day food production and agriculture with neighbors and community members.
Here’s a great resource for getting started: http://agchat.org/2010/09/why-would-a-farmer-want-to-blog.html.
Also, check out this link to a great video creating by the Ag Chat foundation that shares some interesting information about just how much agriculture does for our world today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYoADgvJgE4
How are you agvocating?