How do you 'involve' city folk in the farm sector?

This quote of the great American philosopher, Benjamin Frankin, who was also a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer and publisher, is extremely relevant to agriculture in so many ways.

It is particularly pertinent in light of the recent announcement by Cattle Australia to "educate" urban Australia on the value of cattle producers.

At a meeting in Yaraka last week, Cattle Australia's CEO Garry Edwards told about 30 people that industry, through MLA, did a good job of talking to producers and a bad job of talking to the general public.

And, he added that rural industries were represented very poorly in the school curriculum.

If you look at the mining industry, it has been running a program targeting school students and explaining the benefits of mining for years.

It's understood the program is designed to present a positive side to the story of mining and get students thinking about a career in the mining industry.

Farming groups in Queensland have also run programs for school students in the past.

On its website, AgForce has a long list of school programs that it supports and which are or were funded by the Queensland department of agriculture including Moo Baa Munch, Ag Connect, industry tours, Farmer in the Classroom, Career Conversations and Career Snapshots.

The list also includes a Creative Ag Competition, teacher professional development, rural days and expos, and Ag Inspirations which sees high school students undertake a three-day intensive tour of agribusiness in their region and possible work experience on farm.

On the QFF's website, it too has information about a school program - the Agribusiness Gateway to Industry Schools Program (AGISP) - with an announcement that a record number of 60 schools took part in the 2020 program that uses e-technologies to inform students on the most up-to-date practices in agriculture.

On the Queensland department of agriculture's website, 75 schools took part in the 2021 AGISP, but there is nothing current so it's unclear whether the program has died a quiet death or is just taking a break.

Regardless of this though, there does appear to have been multiple attempts in the past to promote agriculture to the general populace and in schools.

But, you have to wonder how much is getting through when you talk to a young professional woman in her 30s, who's lived in Brisbane all her life, and she has no idea as to where ham and pork comes from.

No wonder, politicians think the farm sector is an easy mark when they consider how they are going to meet their carbon emission target of net-zero by 2050 - a target that the farming sector had no say in.

It's because they think farmers are a minority group with little support from their city cousins which, for a politician, translates into votes.

So, it will be interesting to see how Cattle Australia cuts through the apathy, ignorance or disconnect, call it what you like, of the wider community to the farm sector in general and cattle producers in particular.

When it suits them, politicians will spruik the importance of agriculture to the country's economy, but at the drop of hat will turn a deaf ear to the farming community's concerns about, for example, endless red tape, trade barriers and natural assets such as the Great Artesian Basin.

Hopefully, Cattle Australia will take on board Benjamin Franklin's advice and work on "involving" those it wants to educate about cattle producers to get the best outcome.

And rather than go it alone, maybe the agriculture sector needs to pool its resources and develop a long-term strategy that involves as many farm lobby groups as possible to extend the reach of its positive messaging into metropolitan areas because, in many instances, the gap between city and country is a canyon that's only getting wider.