In an increasingly noisy world, how can ag speak with a unified, consistent voice?The changing dynamics of agricultural advocacy in Australia has caught our attention, and we're keen to explore whether industry representation is still 'fit for purpose' in a rapidly shifting political and social landscape. With around 270 farm advocacy bodies in Australia with a combined annual spend of $400-600 million, there's no shortage of voices sticking up for ag. But how effective are they in delivering genuine policy solutions to Government?To open up this conversation, Oli is joined by Katie McRobert, Executive Director at the Australian Farm Institute, and Tyson Cattle, a rural journalist-turned-Nuffield Scholar, currently exploring how ag advocacy is done around the world and what Australia could be doing better.TakeawaysAdvocacy in agriculture is fragmented and there's a disconnect between what's being said and what's being heardEffective advocacy requires a clear purpose, two-way conversations and cultivating long-term relationships to drive policy changeFinding common ground with decision-makers is essential for achieving policy outcomesRespect and credibility is often overlooked in advocacy structuresFarmers are good as telling stories, but ag needs to get better at sharing storiesCurrent advocacy structures in Australia are often conservative and 'locked in' to a traditional structure, but new approaches such as social media influencers are having an impact Leadership in advocacy often requires taking unpopular stancesLinksLearn more about Tyson's Nuffield topic, and LinkedInKatie McRobert LinkedInYou can hear more episodes of Humans of Agriculture here.If you enjoyed this episode, share with a friend and let us know your thoughts at
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