In the past few weeks, the National Farmers Federation launched a new campaign asking rural people to tell their stories.
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The purpose is to more effectively connect rural and metro communities by sharing the story of modern agriculture and those who work and live in the industry.
Australians enjoy the benefits of an agricultural sector that provides them with healthful and safe produce. However, understanding of how that comes about is not universal.
Gone are the days when city dwellers had family or friends who they would regularly visit in the country, on the farm.
The separation between rural and metropolitan is wide and getting wider.
Last week, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its special report on climate change, which says that we need to change the way we produce and consume our food.
The sustainable utilisation of our environment to produce food, fibre and fuel is becoming more challenging as the global population continues to grow and we face climate variability.
At the same time, the Tasmanian government extended its moratorium on the use of genetically modified crops for another 10 years, making the technology unavailable to farmers. It's similar to the position of the South Australian government.
Agricultural activities are increasingly becoming hot topics in public debate including, but not limited to, the Murray-Darling Basin water management, animal welfare and the adoption of genetic technologies.
The growth of the agricultural sector in Australia will require continuous innovation and community support and understanding. As participants in the sector, we are being asked to be more active in the way we interact with those in and outside it.
It's the best way we can ensure that we have a voice at the table as the future direction is being discussed and set for a modern agricultural industry.
If we are to play our part in stewarding the production of food for growing populations in an ethical and sustainable way, we must make sure the facts are front and centre, but that they are presented in a way that they can be understood by the general public.
How do we do that? We make the message personal, by sharing stories and experiences. Think about how an experience is relayed from one person to another. It is always as a story - not a bunch of statistics and random facts.
We have great stories that we need to share. We need to take every opportunity we get.
