What's Growin' On: Agricultural Public Policy for the 21st Century

By, Jonnalee Henderson, Policy AnalystCalifornia Department of Food and AgricultureJhenderson@cdfa.ca.gov916-651-9912

And now I’m in the neighboring town of Williams--at yet another stand!

Quiz Time

What surpassed beer drinking as the most "in" thing among undergraduate college students, according to a 2006 survey?

iPods More Popular Than Beer iPods—according to the 2006 biannual market

research study by Ridgewood, N.J.-based Student Monitor.

What tied with beer for second place?

Facebook!!

Drinking beer and Facebook.com, a social networking Web site, were tied for second most popular

In the 2005 study, only 59 percent of students named the iPod as "in," putting the gadget well below alcohol-related activities

The only other time beer was temporarily dethroned in the 18 years of the survey was in 1997-by the Internet.

What does this mean?

The 21st Century is changing the way in which we effectively communicate our messages

Effective communication may take more than fancy logos on pens and t-shirts

Effective Communication Tips

Don’t think outside the box, blow up the box!--A paraphrase from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Effective Communication Tips

Avoid specialized professional jargon unfamiliar to outside readers

Effective Communication Tips

Become comfortable with your writing (or hire someone who is)

Effective Communication Tips

Be passionate about what you do! This may sound weird, but we are most effective

when we truly care

Effective Communication Tips

Read, read and read some more Know what is going on in the world around

you

How are others carrying their message? Is it effective?

Effective Communication Tips

The questions you ask determine the answers you receive!

90% of being a good journalist is knowing the right questions to ask—the same is true with effective communicators

Effective Communication Tips

Surround yourself with effective communicators and watch what they do

Effective Communication Tips

The World Really is Flat Google, Wikipedia Target message at individuals What was the number one rewound

moment in TIVO history?

Effective Communication Tips

Stories sell We all have powerful stories, and they

need to be shared--especially with those influential in public policy

Effective Communication Tips It’s not what you know, it’s who you

know Who are those people most influential in

helping you achieve your goals (and who are their staffers)? Congressional delegates, state legislators,

secretaries/commissioners of agriculture, board members, media outlets

In Conclusion

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

WILLIAM JAMES

Happy Halloween