Who is best qualified to explain agriculture
to your neighbors, reporters, and the community?

Farming and food production are major public issues. There is no one better qualified than a farmer to explain what’s going on. Feel free to explore the information in each section of the site as you see fit. There are tip sheets, demonstration videos, sample press releases, and checklists geared for farm use.

This information has been developed by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County, NY and we expect you will find it very useful for marketing, neighbor relations, and helping your community understand agriculture. The NY Agriculture Environmental Management Media Team has contributed significantly to this site, in addition to professional reporters, pubic relations specialists, media researchers, and farm issues specialists. If you have any questions or comments about FarmPublicRelations.info, feel free to contact Jim Ochterski, Agriculture Economic Development Specialist at Cornell Cooperative Extension (585) 394-3977 x402 or jao14@cornell.edu.

Agriculture Media Audit

In 2008, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County hired an independent public relations consultant to perform an Agriculture Media Audit, the first of its kind in the state and possibly the nation. Customercity, Inc. reviewed more than 400 media stories about farming issues in Upstate New York and compiled a report and recommendations, based on their findings.

Summary report:
How New York State Farmers and Agriculture are Portrayed in the Media (PDF)

Full report:
How New York State Farmers and Agriculture are Portrayed in the Media (PDF)

This project is possible through grant funding from the New York Farm Viability Institute. The New York Farm Viability Institute is a farmer-led nonprofit organization that funds on-farm research to increase farm profits and foster a vibrant and renewable agriculture system that includes diverse farm sizes, commodities, production practices and geographic regions. The Institute is funded through legislative appropriation to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.