This week, we attended a conference on modern agriculture and learned more about how the AgChat Foundation is helping “agvocates” tell their story through social media channels.

CropLife America hosts National Policy Conference focusing on future of agriculture and agricultural policy

This week we attended CropLife America’s National Policy Conference, entitled Modern Agriculture: Exploring its Relationship with Technology, Science & Society. Moderated by Marc Gunther, FORTUNE editor and Greenbiz.com senior writer, the event brought together a diverse crowd of experts who weren’t afraid to share their thoughts on the future of modern agriculture.

During the session entitled “Modern Agriculture: What is it? What Stands in the Way,” the panelists agreed that one of the biggest obstacles to acceptance of modern agriculture practices is the way that scientific information is- and isn’t- communicated.

During his keynote speech, Michael Specter, author of Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the Planet, and Threatens Our Lives, encouraged farmers and others in the agriculture industry to face the critics head-on and to make sure their story gets told, especially in the media.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark) spoke at the CropLife America National Policy Conference

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), ranking Republican on the House Agriculture Committee, spoke with CropLife America President and CEO Jay Vroom about the challenges and opportunities of modern agriculture. Both Sen. Lincoln and Rep. Goodlatte are strong supporters of agricultural biotechnology and science-based agriculture and understand the importance that agriculture plays in our society and economy.

AgChat Foundation continues to grow

The AgChat Foundation, born out of the highly visible “#AgChat” community on Twitter, aims to empower farmers and ranchers to connect communities through social media platforms. Learn about the AgChat Foundation and what it is doing to help farmers and ranchers engage on Twitter, Facebook, blogs and other social media services to tell their stories through its interactive website: http://agchat.org/.