The Farm Babe on Busting Ag Myths and Building Consumer Trust

Michelle Miller didn't grow up on a farm. Before she was Farm Babe, with nearly half a million followers across social platforms, she was a city girl working in fashion on Rodeo Drive, buying only organic, non-GMO and antibiotic-free food because of what she'd seen in documentaries and heard from people in her social circle.

That changed when she moved to rural Iowa, where she raised corn, soybeans, cattle and sheep, and sold beef and lamb direct at farmers markets. Her biggest "aha" moment was asking local farmers whether their crops were GMO and hearing them explain why they grow them.

"Everything I learned about agriculture through my time actually becoming a farmer totally changed my perception," Miller told IL Corn TV host Shane Gray.

Today, Miller works as a speaker, author, podcast host and online influencer focused on myth-busting. She says much of the confusion consumers feel about food comes from marketing and misinformation, noting that there's a lot of money to be made off consumer fear.

Her advice for talking with skeptical consumers starts with listening. When someone says they don't want chemicals on their food, Miller suggests agreeing on the shared value first.

"We all want fewer chemicals on our food," she said. "If anybody wants fewer chemicals in agriculture, it's the guy paying the bill. It's the farmer."

Miller pointed to her experience with Burger King as proof that one voice can make a difference. When the company released its "Cows Menu" ad portraying cattle as a climate problem, Miller reached out to its global chief marketing officer on social media. That led to a call, and then a two-day visit to Iowa, where she showed Burger King's team her farm, a feedlot methane digester and dairy operations, with input from Iowa State ruminant nutritionists. Burger King pulled the campaign and filmed a new commercial on her farm.

Her message to farmers: talk about the improvements you've made over the years and generations, and connect on the issues consumers care about, from water quality to pesticides.

"Never underestimate the power of your voice," Miller said.

Watch full episode.