Ag Chat: Let's Put the Culture back in Agriculture!

10 min readDec 10, 2021

Do you know what goes into your food? How about everything that goes into getting it to your plate? Most people say that it comes from a farm. And they are not wrong. But that is where a lot of knowledge regarding agriculture ends. While that might not sound like a problem, it is devastating to farmers who provide for general consumers. And that is where Ag Chat comes in. A podcast dedicated to hosting agricultural professionals and discussing common misconceptions of agriculture, how they came to be, and most importantly, how to fix them.

Ag Chat is a way for the modern farmer to be represented in the consumer's decision-making. With information being the most accessible it has ever been, so have lies and half-truths. The average consumer falls prey to buzzwords like "GMO" and "hormones" and comes at the farmers' expense. Part of this is due to the media's portrayal of agriculture due to a generational gap. Ag Chat is the perfect solution to this information crisis. As a podcast, Ag Chat gives these farmers that voice and allows that voice to be heard by the younger generation.

Ag Chat Trailer

So stop being an uninformed consumer. Ag Chat is the perfect chance to learn how exactly it goes from farm to table. Please don't fall prey to all companies using you and farmers to line their pockets. Tune it to Ag Chat on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Overcast, and Anchor!

How Am I Putting the Culture Back in Agriculture?

The divide between farmers and the general population has never been more significant. And that's because more people are entering society to do something besides farming. And there's no problem with not wanting to farm. I have no intentions of farming. But thanks to advancements in agriculture and food science, the demand for farmers is at the lowest ever been. In 1935, around 80% of the American workforce was related to agriculture. Now only about 1.3% of employment in the United States is occupied by farmers.

Several companies have taken advantage of this rift. By using buzzwords and labeling strategies to make themselves seem better or competitors seem worse, corporations are actively skewing the population's perception of food and agriculture. Ag Chat is the podcast that can help close that rift, benefitting the producer and the consumer. By bringing on different professors if UGA's College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, I am giving a modern medium to farmers that I would otherwise not have.

So why am I hosting a podcast?

Ag Chat is the perfect opportunity to use my passions: agriculture and technology. But I'm sure you're wondering, "Why a podcast?" and the answer is pretty simple: podcasts are some of the most popular forms of media today, with around 2 million podcasts with approximately 48 million episodes. Podcasts are also relatively simple to publish (that's the only thing simple about them) because RSS feeds allow one content to be posted across several different platforms simultaneously. Ag Chat is broken up into five separate episodes, ranging from several different facets of agriculture: Organic Plant Production, Dairy/Beef Production, Chemicals, Poultry, and Industrial Farming.

I'll get the chance to interview published researchers in their areas of expertise and get to the bottom of some of these misconceptions. Learning how these misconceptions came to be, how they are perpetuated, and why they should be proven wrong is the primary goal of each episode.

Host

About: I am a Master’s in Emerging Media student graduating in May 2022. I received my Bachelor’s in Agricultural Communications in May 2020 and hit the ground running to pursue my master's. I grew up working on a farm and have the most appreciation for agriculture and what all goes into it. When it came time to pick my Capstone Project, I realized I was in a particular and unique position! I have a background and education in agriculture, and I could take all of the skills UGA New Media Institute has taught me and use them to create something productive.

Featured Guest

Episode 1: Sustainable Plant Production
-Tune in as we define sustainability using all of its facets. We establish what most people think sustainability is and further clarify.
-Guest: Dr. Tim Coolong
-About: Dr. Coolong works closely with UGA Extension and Research within the Department of Horticulture. He worked as a commercial vegetable specialist in Tifton before he moved to the Athens campus. His primary focus areas are organic vegetable production and helping farmers develop strategies to increase organic vegetable acreage in Georgia.

Episode 2: Dairy and Beef Production
-The beef and dairy industries are very complex, especially with all the people's negative preconceptions. Listen as Dr. Callaway, and I shed some light on these struggling industries.
-Guest: Dr. Todd Callaway
-About: Before attending UGA, Dr. Callaway was a ruminant microbiologist who grew up on a miniature horse, dairy, and beef farm. Dr. Callaway’s main focus was eliminating food-borne pathogens like salmonella, which led him to study the intestinal microbiome and the impacts of diet on the microbial population.

Episode 3: Chemicals in Agriculture
-The general population has long been under the impression that all chemicals present in agriculture are harmful. But what people don’t realize is that these chemicals are backed by years of research and development to ensure they aren’t harmful to people.
-Guest: Dr. Bob Kemerait Jr.
-About: Dr. Kemerait’s research focuses on parasitic nematodes that affect several crops like cotton, soybeans, and corn and how to treat them. Because of his research, he has become a consultant for managing all diseases and plant-parasitic nematodes in the Southeast, where he helps farmers combat these parasites with modern practices.

Episode 4: Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
-Humans have a significant impact on our environment, but do you know precisely how?
-Guest: Dr. Brian Kiepper
-About: Dr. Kiepper teaches one of the biggest classes at UGA, Global Effects of Agriculture (AESC 2050), and that class is one of my all-time favorites. Dr. Kiepper’s emphasis is environmental management, so he is a great source to explain how humans affect their surroundings.

Episode 5: Poultry Production
-A lot has gone into the modern poultry industry, and there is even more misinformation surrounding it.
-Guest: Dr. Andrew Benson
-About: Dr. Benson teaches some of the basic poultry science classes at UGA, where they study the different effects chemicals have on chickens. Don’t worry; all experiments are humane, and the chicks grow up normally.

Each episode will range from 15–25 minutes in length, so Ag Chat is not intimidatingly long, which will keep people interested in the show. Twenty-five minutes should be enough time for people to learn something, even if it's something minor.

Technological MVP's

Otter.ai: First and foremost, Otter.ai is what made this podcast possible. Having software that can almost perfectly transcribe interviews is essential for podcasts. Not only that, but Otter.ai can store and sort the recordings along with their transcripts, making them much more accessible. For only $5 a month, it is well worth the money.

404: Studio Not Found: I would be remiss if I did not mention NMI's new podcast studio. The Rodecaster Pro is robust enough to get the job done but simple enough that a novice like me can operate it. That, paired with the NMI staff, has made it significantly streamlined to record Ag Chat.

Adobe Audition: Audition is my software to edit and convert my recordings. After watching a few tutorials, I was able to work it pretty well, and I can't say it hasn't been bad. Like all Adobe programs, Audition has a learning curve. But with enough practice and patience, I've made it work for me.

Figma: The ultimate prototyping tool that made it all possible. Figma is very streamlined to be everything a UX professional needs in straightforward software. Here is my Design Systems for Ag Chat, which has all the essential branding materials.

Audacity: Coming up last, but certainly not least, is Audacity. A free app for editing audio is much less robust than Audition and more user-friendly. Audacity is an excellent resource for people that do not have the adobe suite but want to get started editing audio.

My Educational Journey

I have learned a lot during this capstone project would be an understatement. The audio had to be the field I knew least about when it comes to media. But that's why I took on this challenge, to learn and grow as a content creator. Here are some of the things I did wrong and how I improved!

NMIX 7005e: When I first started the capstone journey, I had no idea how to approach it. I was constantly unorganized, confused, and frustrated from time to time. And now, I'm only those things on occasion. Progress is the name of the game! One of the most pivotal points I had was writing tasks down. I had never really done much planning until this point in my life. Ag Chat forced me to stay grounded and focused on staying on task. Now I write everything down, even if I don't have to, and it has done wonders for my mental health. The other significant development I had was learning to keep a copy of everything. Nothing is worse than using content that no longer exists because it got overhauled. Do not delete something you worked hard on, even if it's never used for its intended purpose. Always keep some form of what you have created because it can always come in handy, even if it's only to see how far you've come.

JRMC 8016e: I'll be the first to tell you that design is not my forte. When starting with the branding and design for Ag Chat, I made some questionable decisions. One of the most prominent lessons I learned was to check for colorblindness and accessibility when designing. On my first draft of the Design System for Ag Chat, I did not match the colors or the font I used, which was a hot mess. Thankfully, I received some great feedback that set me back on track. The Adobe Color Wheel is one of the best tools ever created, and learning how to utilize it has significantly improved my design skill.

Competitive Advantage Report Pointers: While there are similar podcasts to Ag Chat that cover some of the same topics, they mainly stick to one specific topic. Ag Chat will cover five different subjects in agriculture and promptly provide insight into all these fields (see what I did there). Because a college kid is running Ag Chat at college, it will help give a unique perspective on agriculture and how the media can portray it.

Resources

Some of the most valuable resources for Ag Chat have been the staff of the NMI and CAES. Between the two different colleges, I have learned so much. The professors of CAES, geniuses and published researchers, bring so much knowledge and insight to Ag Chat. But I would not be able to make any of it worth the trouble if the New Media Institute was not filled with geniuses that stay ahead of the curve with everything media.

Capstone Overview

This journey has had its highs and its lows. And I'm not even finished yet. It's been a lot of all-nighters, early mornings, and stressful assignments, but it wasn't anything impossible. Some of the challenges I faced were working under pressure, being timely with my studies, and flying solo on a capstone project. But now that I've got my stride, I can't wait to do all of those things and be excellent at them. The most important thing I've learned in this project is to be professional and approachable.

Emerging Media Overview

Emerging Media has been a dream come true for me and what I hope to do in the professional world. From UX/UI to learning how to make a proper slide deck for presentations, these skills have prepared me to find a message, learn about it, and teach others about it. Those skills are applicable in so many different fields, and I honestly feel like I will have my pick of whatever job I decide on. I think I am most comfortable with UX/UI and prototyping thanks to this program, and I know those skills will help me change the world.

Words to the Wise

If I could tell one thing to the future EM/EMO kids, it would be to surround yourself with capable people that challenge you and hold you to a standard. The NMI family is one of the best groups I've been lucky enough to know during my time at UGA. I say family because no one will love you more or make you work harder than your family. And that's what this journey has been to me. I've never felt more accepted or pushed harder than I have at the NMI. Make it count, make it work, then make it work better.

To my Cohort

I have no idea how I got so lucky. Everyone in my cohort was so lovely and understanding. I almost felt like I was being pranked. My cohort made Emerging Media Online possible for me, and I'm not sure I could have done it without you all. If I messaged them, I always got a message back. Thank you all so much for helping me these past two years.