Friday, December 3, 2010

Social Media Prep for #CAFB10

First, I want to thank Dan Toland, from the Ohio Farm Bureau, for having the idea and providing the basis for the information that I am about to share.

I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible at the 92nd California Farm Bureau’s annual meeting this week in Monterey. There is an amazing agenda planned, with outstanding speakers, activities and policy discussion.

If you are reading this, you are one of the few individuals who have taken the initiative to engage in social media. The CFBF annual meeting is a wonderful opportunity for you to share insightful quotes, things learned and people met. It is an opportunity for you to share agriculture’s story from the perspective of a grassroots member of CFBF. It is an opportunity for you to share with other members the wonderful experience of utilizing social media to share their story.

Here is a quick run-down of some Facebook and Twitter tips and strategies to help make this annual meeting a social media success. With the theme “New Horizons…No Fences” I challenge you to utilize the social media tools at your disposal, embrace the new horizons and help breakdown the fences, increase understanding, build bridges and grow communities.

FACEBOOK

Update your status throughout the meeting.

Mobile photo uploads are a great way to share and remember who you meet.

Share the experience that makes Farm Bureau unique in how policy starts at the local level and travels through the process.

TWITTER

The official hashtag for the annual meeting is #CAFB10.

Include the hashtag in all of your tweets from the meeting & activities.

Follow the hashtag to see what is happing.

Mobile photo uploads are excellent way to share.

Some other common hashtags to utilize: #farm, #ag, #agchat, #food, #agvocate, #environment, #quote, #CA, #Monterey

DON’T KNOW WHAT TO POST?

Play “reporter”: Post quotes, thoughts, facts and information.

Share photos: Be sure to include a short description of photo and a hashtag.

Retweet, Like and Share posts from other participants.

OTHER TIPS

• Carry power cords with you. If you get active, you’ll need a re-charge! 

• Always read your post twice, before hitting “send.” It becomes public instantly.

ALSO….

Look for the Know A California Farmer / AgChat Foundation table at the meeting. We would be happy to answer any questions you might have and if you are not already, get you signed up for #KACF.

I look forward to seeing and meeting you all!

Travel safe.

About Me

My photo
Jeff Fowle is a fourth generation family farmer and rancher from Etna, California. He and his wife Erin and son Kyle raise registered Angus cattle, Percheron draft horses, warmbloods, alfalfa and alfalfa-grass hay. They also start and train horses for riding, jumping, and driving. Their family run ranch has incorporated many environmentally beneficial and water efficient technologies and management strategies. Jeff attended college at Colorado State University for two years and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for four and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. Following college, he worked in Washington State for a year as a herdsman for BB Cattle Company and then returned to Etna, California in 1995 to own and operate KK Bar Ranch and Siskiyou Percherons. The latter was started by his grandfather, Clarence Dudley, who devoted much of his time to the Percheron Horse Association of America, specifically to developing their youth education program.