“The program is one of the most useful things I have ever been associated with; I love it!”

We are lucky to receive feedback like this from one of our Climate Champion farmers. But what prompted it?

The farmers recently returned home from a busy week at their latest national workshop. It included a National Press Club event which featured one of their own–Susan Findlay Tickner. The panel at the National Press Club discussed the future of food security under a changing climate.

The quote is from an evaluation form where we asked what they liked most about the workshop.

I think it’s all about the conversations they have–with each other; with climate, agriculture and communication researchers; with industry people; with journalists.

Farmers love to talk, especially when they’re thinking about how different ideas can apply on their place.

Those conversations trigger research projects, get farmers into mainstream media and urban people’s lounge rooms, spark ideas for better production on-farm, deepen understanding about where research and farming can meet … and so much more.

The conversations also continued online (in social media) and with the farmers who couldn’t make it, and they’re what prompted another evaluation quote: “the most enjoyable thing was the exchange of ideas and comments by our fellow Climate Champions”.

Congratulations to the farmers for making the workshop such a valuable time for themselves.