Words matter when explaining modern agriculture to consumers.Ottawa—Farmers are ranked by consumers as the most reliable source of credible information on the food they're eating with university academics a close second.A study released by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) shows farmers are trusted by 42 per cent of the public followed by professors at 39 percent. The least reliable are restaurants and governments at 15 per cent and food processors and manufacturers at 14 per cent.The numbers are derived from a sophisticated process for monitoring conversations on social media, which also show that 71 per cent of Canadians hold farmers most responsible for providing credible information on food. That's followed by processors at 67 per cent, governments at 65 per cent, scientists and academics at 48 per cent, grocery stores at 46 per cent, restaurants at 41 per cent and advocacy groups at 29 per cent.CCFI says in the report the agrifood sector should ensure restaurants and grocery stories have accurate information to make available to shoppers.When it comes to the credibility of information about the impact of modern farming practices on the environment, farmers and academic are the most trustworthy, the statistics indicate, while environmental groups and well-known celebrities are the least.The study said debates on social media about farming and food often break down into separate monologues and the agrifood sector has to learn to how to effectively engage in these conversations.For starters, “look at who could be the most credible source of information to speak to that food. Many of the traditional messages around hot button food topics such as GMOs, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics in fact do little to move the needle on public acceptance.”One approach is to explain modern farming including GMOs in terms of how it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps right climate while allowing farmers to use less pesticides.Outlining how pesticides decrease exposure to food contaminated with harmful micro-organisms and help to reduce greenhouse gases would also resonate with consumers while antibiotics, used properly, improve food affordability.Concern about animal welfare can be addressed by explain how livestock production is closely regulated and how it's a farmer's advantage to take good care of their animals.Farm and food organizations need to make their communications more transparent, the study said. “Consumers understand that everyone makes mistakes. Share your stories of improvement, demonstrate how you are implementing best practices and don't be afraid to share the progression of your organization in telling your story.“Admitting that you aren't perfect all of the time and that you are working to improve daily, demonstrates to Canadians that you are sharing the real story and working to connect with them using shared values.”Given many Canadians say they are unsure about agriculture and the food system, “there is a need to create and promote information in a positive way,” the study said.Social media tends to be a conduit of negative news so the agrifood sector has to be ready to counter that trend, the study said. “We need to share the good stories, write about how best practices are improving and how agriculture is working to become even more innovative for the benefit of the Canadian consumer.”That will require everyone in the sector “to work together and collaborate on efforts to reach a larger audience and increase the impact of the messaging,” the study said. “If we can increase public trust in Canada's food system as a whole, the entire industry will benefit together.”People in the sector can help in many ways. “Write an op-ed. Record an interview. Make a video. Tweet. Post. There are numerous channels and ways to get your message out. The key is to understand who's looking at which channels and which platforms they prefer.“The goal in the end should be to create and share credible and relevant stories and content that reach as many consumers as possible to help enable Canadians to make informed decisions,” the study said.“To build trust, those in the food system must demonstrate that while systems have changed and the use of technology has increased, the commitment to doing what's right has never been stronger.”Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.