How Agricultural PR Professionals Can Maximize Their Value to the Media
By Randy Myers
As in other industries, public relations professionals working in agriculture have an important symbiotic relationship with ag media. PR staff strive to support their clients’ communications objectives, while agricultural reporters and broadcasters rely on them for timely, accurate information to meet editorial needs.
At times, however, this relationship can be frustrating for both sides. PR professionals may feel their story ideas are overlooked, while reporters and broadcasters often say the content they receive is too promotional or lacks news value.
Based on feedback from several leading agricultural media representatives, the following do’s and don’ts can help PR professionals build stronger relationships and improve their chances of earning meaningful media coverage.
The Do’s
Understand the media outlet.
Know the audience, publication frequency and editorial focus. Tailor pitches and news releases accordingly. Just as important, build genuine relationships with media contacts. As one editor noted, “Develop a relationship that works as a two-way street over time.” Another added they are more likely to reach out to agency contacts they already know.
Know deadlines and lead times.
Be mindful of editorial calendars and timelines. Pitch stories well in advance of when they are relevant. One editor shared, “One of my biggest frustrations is when PR people don’t understand our lead time and pitch a planting story a month before planting starts.”
Focus on relevance to farmers.
Ensure pitches address real needs. “Make sure the product is filling farmer needs in the region you are targeting,” one broadcaster advised. Another editor emphasized, “We’re looking for information that helps our readers. If it’s too commercial, it should be an advertisement.”
Provide access to knowledgeable sources.
Media value access to farmers and product testers who can speak to real results. Also offer company experts or other spokespeople for interviews, follow-up questions and fact-checking.
Make news releases more effective.
Several recommendations focused on improving news release quality:
- Tie news releases to upcoming editorial themes or planned coverage
- Keep content concise and easy to scan
- Provide clear, simple explanations—especially for complex products
- Ensure quoted spokespeople are available for same-day interviews
Offer easy-to-use multimedia.
Provide photos and video that are simple to download and use. Complicated download systems can be a barrier, especially for less tech-savvy media members. File sizes between 1MB and 10MB are typically sufficient.
The Don’ts
Media professionals also shared clear guidance on what to avoid:
Don’t insert PR staff into farmer interviews.
“We want honest answers, not farmers repeating talking points,” one broadcaster said.
Don’t send unsolicited, prewritten articles.
“These usually go straight to the delete folder unless there’s an established relationship and prior agreement,” one editor noted.
Don’t pitch irrelevant stories.
Avoid sending ideas that clearly don’t fit the publication or its audience. As one editor put it, “It wastes everyone’s time.”
Agricultural PR professionals and farm media will continue to rely on each other to meet shared goals. By following these best practices—and avoiding common media frustrations—PR staff can strengthen their value to both the media and their clients.