ZIONSVILLE, Ind. — Everyone has an opinion – and that statement couldn’t be more true than when it comes to the industry of agriculture.

 

One of the many social media modes on which people express opinions are independent audio shows streamed exclusively online – called podcasts. However, unlike other social media platforms, podcasts are more than angry paragraphs or the half-hearted

two cents someone leaves in a comment. Podcasts can be organized, thoughtful discussions between people who care about a given topic.

 

To help listeners interested in agriculture sift through podcasts to find which are most reliable and informative, a hub for podcasts called the Farm and Rural Ag Network has developed online: www.farmruralag.com/ Rob Sharkey, a podcaster and one of the developers of the Farm and Rural Ag Network, said the purpose of the site is twofold.

 

“We want to make agricultural podcasts more accessible and bring in larger audiences,” he said. “It’s a place where farmers can easily find the type of podcast that would interest them, but we hope that all consumers of agriculture will be able to get information here.”

 

While podcasts are usually subscribed to on ITunes, SoundCloud or other platforms, the Farm and Rural Ag Network allows listeners to tune into them on its website, 24/7, from their desktop computers and laptops. Sharkey said the Network makes a point to keep

all the material current.

 

“Every show on the Farm and Rural Ag Network brings a unique point of view on farming and the ag industry,” he said. “The lineup is curated so all who subscribe keep up to date with the latest material.”

 

The Farm and Rural Ag Network features these podcasts on its website: Shark Farmer

Sharkey’s own podcast, the Shark Farmer Podcast, is one that exists, in part, to share stories of growing up and living on a farm. Sharkey is a fifth-generation farmer who lives on and runs a crops operation with his wife and four children. The show hosts guests of all different backgrounds on a regular basis to discuss agricultural issues.

 

“The Shark Farmer Podcast is a very popular podcast where farmers and ranchers have brutally honest conversations about agriculture,” Sharkey said.

 

 

This podcast focuses specifically on how agricultural issues affect the consumer and those who are unfamiliar with agriculture. Hosted by Sharkey and Carrie Zylka (of the Hunt Fish Travel Podcast and A Creative Mind Fiction Podcast), The Farmer and the City Girl discuss topics such as GMOs, TPP and Country of Origin labeling, the differences between animal rights and animal welfare and many others.

 

“It is definitely hard to measure how successful social media is at reaching the consumer,” Sharkey said. “But some podcasts such as The Farmer and the City Girl

Podcast are specifically trying to bridge the gap between ag and non-ag audiences.”

 

 

Hosted by Donnarie Hales and Nick Fassler from BASF, this podcast is a source for agronomic insights, information and perspectives. The hosts chat with growers, industry professionals, educators and researchers to get the latest information about what is

happening on the crops side of agriculture.

 

Hales is the diversified portfolio communications manager with BASF, and Fassler is currently the diversified herbicides program manager with BASF. The podcast is also a way for growers to hear information on what is happening out in the fields for other growers, and how the Grow Smart approach is helping to solve challenges and maximize yields.

 

This podcast covers topics such as yield outlooks, plant fungicides and corn leaf blight, new ag technologies and more.

 

 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast with host Tim Hammerich explores the people, perspectives, companies and ideas shaping the future of agriculture and

agribusiness. Hammerich shares stories of how entrepreneurship, technology and sustainability are shaping the future of how we produce and consume food,

fiber and natural resources.

 

 

Wendell Schumm, host of Ontario Agcast, grew up on a dairy farm in Oxford County, the Dairy Capital of Canada, and has a career in the Ontario feed industry. He is a vocal supporter of farming, particularly animal agriculture. The Ontario Agcast helps farmers know how they can take action to lower consumer fear about how their food is grown.