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The holidays are upon us… what better time to count the things we’re thankful for and to surround ourselves with family and friends! Between company holiday parties, family gatherings and festivities, there’s no time of year when we’re around other people as much as we are during this busy season. This season, ahead of all the hustle and bustle, Bayer is here to equip you with your own personal guide to being an “AgVocate” during the holidays. When you encounter people in your community, friends or family who may not be familiar with the many benefits of modern ag, it is the perfect opportunity to #AgVocate. Here are a couple scenarios you may encounter this holiday season and some tips on how to respond:
1. During the Holiday Party You’re attending your spouse’s company holiday party and meet a colleague of theirs who inquires about your line of work. When you mention you work in the ag industry, the colleague mentions that they’ve heard corporate farms are over-applying fertilizers and pesticides and creating problems for the entire ecosystem, not to mention exposing our food to harmful chemicals. How do you respond? This is an all-too-common scenario of mistrust and modern agriculture. Many people still think of farming in a romanticized way, likening it to the days of one farmer with a milk cow and some chickens growing crops on a few acres of land. However, in the U.S., 97 percent of farms (many of them large operations) are run by families, who must employ
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modern farming practices to meet demand. As with this example, it’s great to emphasize the common ground those in agriculture share with consumers, and that we have the same goals in mind, ensuring product safety and stewardship but also providing tools to help growers sustainably produce abundant, quality crops. Here is some information about the ways Bayer and other industry leaders are helping growers to ensure they observe good product stewardship practices, including our CARE program – and we’re observing these practices on our farms, too. 2. Around the Family Dinner Table It’s time for the big holiday meal, with every one gathered around the dinner table, and your in-laws are coming to spend the weekend with Continued on page 10
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