Agricultural PR in a post-truth world

In this post-truth world, people are increasingly questioning whether they can believe anything they see, hear or read. Indeed, the 2025 World Economic Forum Global Risks Report ranks misinformation and disinformation among the top short-term risks threatening societal stability, underscoring their corrosive impact on trust. Similarly, the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer points out that while businesses are the most trusted institutions globally, grievances and misinformation can undermine belief in business competence and ethics. 

With bots amplifying falsehoods, artificial intelligence creating deepfakes, and public sentiment swinging wildly in reaction to misinformation, the stakes have never been higher. This isn’t just about managing reputation either; it’s about safeguarding long-term industry credibility. 

Given the significant risks associated with this, it is a stark reminder of the importance of having communications professionals sat at the ‘top table’, providing strategic input into how businesses act, as well as how and what they communicate. 

1. Double-down on transparency

If people distrust what they don’t understand, then clarity is your superpower. Be transparent about your operations, values and goals. Use clear, accessible language to explain what you are doing and why. Whether you’re addressing the general public, farmers or supply chain partners, openness fosters credibility. Transparency must span your entire communication pipeline - from social media posts to annual sustainability reports.

For example, instead of simply stating your commitment to reducing emissions, explain the steps you’re taking with tangible data. Instead of telling farmers why they need to change practices to meet your sustainability targets, engage them and share the facts around the benefits the change will deliver for them in terms of resilience. Audit your messaging to ensure it aligns with verifiable facts, grounding every claim in truth. And don’t forget the power of aligned values to engage rather than inform.

2. Start conversations, not monologues

The days of broadcasting a one-sided message are long gone. Stakeholders expect dialogue and engagement. Create spaces for authentic conversations, whether through face-to-face engagement, live Q&A sessions, interactive social content or community-led forums. By opening up dialogue, you show you have nothing to hide, which can disarm sceptics. Dialogue requires listening and curiosity, helping find common ground and leverage progress. Indeed, in an industry facing more than its fair share of challenges, real dialogue results in shared understanding, which in turn can foster co-creation and accelerate innovation. 

Effective communications can also help agriculture and food businesses cultivate visibility as thought leaders. Encouraging executives to contribute opinion pieces to credible media outlets, create content for owned channels, speak at conferences or participate in podcasts builds trust while showcasing expertise. 

3. Use technology responsibly to strengthen credibility

Artificial intelligence might be part of the problem, but it can also be part of the solution. AI tools can monitor and flag misinformation about your brand, giving your team a head start in addressing it. Technology can also support the rapid deployment of verified, factual counter-narratives when disinformation strikes.

However, this must always be done with ethics in mind. Trust is undermined when businesses misuse AI, even accidentally. Commit to responsible tech use by regularly reviewing your digital tools for bias and ensuring you don’t perpetuate misinformation inadvertently.

4. Implement robust crisis management strategies

Given the rapid speed at which false information spreads, being reactionary simply isn’t good enough anymore. Proactive crisis communication should be central to your strategy. Develop a reputation health check system that constantly scans for mutations in public sentiment and prepares you to act immediately if a disinformation event unfolds.

For instance, designate frontline responders within your team who are empowered to issue demonstrable, fact-based rebuttals. A quick, carefully crafted response might contain the damage before it escalates.

5. Elevate industry advocacy

More than individual brands, the agriculture and food sectors need collective advocacy to challenge misinformation at its source. Consider partnering with reputable organisations to establish and amplify shared narratives about sustainability, food safety and technological advancement within agriculture. In many cases, these challenges will be pre-competitive issues, so shared action can drive progress and deliver mutual benefit. After all, coalitions often have more weight with policymakers, media outlets and consumers alike. 

Consider aligning campaigns around shared goals, as a mission focus helps build engagement, and solidarity builds a collective aura of trust and expertise that misinformation struggles to erode.