Farmers are finding a wide variety of ways to connect with consumers, according to panelists during an educational seminar at the Iowa Farm Bureau’s 99th annual meeting held last week in Des Moines.

While social media has provided another avenue for farmers to talk to consumers, farmers still understand the importance of face-to-face conversations and interactions.

The first step in connecting with consumers is to find some common ground, said Val Plagge, a farmer in Franklin County. As a mother, she said she’s able to relate to other mothers and fathers who share the same stresses in grocery shopping and preparing meals for her family. Showing that her four children are very much a part of the family’s farm helps to build that connection, she said.

Larry Sailer raises hogs and grows soybeans ...