Influencer Farm Tour Reflections

The Grower Shipper Association (GSA) recently sponsored and participated in the Alliance for Food and Farming’s (AFF) Safe Fruits and Veggies Farm Tour for influencers, media contributors and nutrition communicators.

While this might seem like a bit of a departure for GSA, this tour focuses on produce safety and sharing the care and commitment of our industry to provide consumers with healthy foods. The issues-based nature of the tour made it an ideal venue for GSA to represent its members and highlight our region, its farms, its people and the importance of agriculture to our community as well as the nation.

The tour was held in the “Salad Bowl of the World” on August 21, 22 and 23. The AFF guests who are all registered dietitians reach millions on social and are contributors to media outlets including the Today Show, Good Morning America, New York Times, Washington Post, ABC News, Shape, Parents, Martha Stewart, Eating Well, Food Network, Self, Prevention, People and CNN, among others.

The tour included leafy greens, vegetable crops as well as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. New technologies were also demonstrated including the release of beneficial insects via a Parabug drone and an autonomous cultivator operating in a leafy greens field.

But the tour also provided the opportunity to directly address the misconceptions of consumers about farming and the safety of the produce with these influencers as well as discuss the challenges we face, how we adapt and find economically viable solutions that keep us moving forward.

While the focus was produce safety, the tour guests were curious about a wide-range of subjects. During the tour, we discussed sustainability, impacts of climate change, varietal development, similarities of organic and conventional farming, the inter-connectivity of farming production techniques, pest and disease control strategies and the importance of educating our youth about farming and agriculture.

But there were also numerous conversations from the consumer perspective. The guests shared how they are receiving more questions about how and where their food is grown versus “what foods are good for me.” And, we shared perspectives about the importance of providing affordable produce choices, challenges of parents to feed their kids healthy foods, the increasing need for convenience, and product developments and innovations specific to produce.

The conversations were honest, straightforward, and transparent and a learning experience for both industry and our guests.

GSA sincerely thanks our members, Taylor Farms and California Giant Berry Farms, for connecting AFF with the farms and opening up their facilities for the tour. Their generous time commitment and openness made this tour a success.

We often talk about the need to “tell our story” to consumers. The AFF tour is achieving that by bringing guests that have a direct impact on millions of consumers through social and mainstream media. After participating in the 2023 tour, we have witnessed the importance of providing a firsthand on-farm experience to these influencers. And, we can see how these tours yield long-term results by building relationships and networks that are mutually beneficial.