Column of the Month
March 2010

     The call for greater beef industry advocacy has sparked a passion among you that is tangible. An Australian-based wine-maker learned this the hard way last month when it publicly announced it would donate $100,000 to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Yellow Tail wine introduced its "tails for tails" campaign to "spread the message that consumers can pick up a bottle of Yellow Tail and help a tail-wagging friend."

     Any beef advocate worth his or her salt knows HSUS collects donations in the name of saving dogs and cats, but spends the vast majority of its budget on public misinformation campaigns, ballot initiatives and support for legislation to put meat, milk and egg producers out of business. Yellow Tail lit the fuse on hundreds of beef advocates. The reaction was enough to warm your heart. Scores of ranchers, feeders, farmers and dairy producers joined as "friends" on Yellow Tail’s Facebook page. Their mission was to politely explain why the winery was making a mistake by aiding and abetting an organization against food producers.

     Yellow Tail’s marketing staff issued a response taking some of the ag community’s input into consideration, but proceeding nonetheless. It came across as arrogant and maybe a bit retaliatory. Beef advocates didn’t need notification or encouragement from trade organizations to take their thoughts viral on the Internet. They immediately fired back in very creative ways.

     Troy Hadrick, who, along with wife Stacy, started Advocates for Agriculture several years ago, used several social media vehicles to punish Yellow Tail. As he wrote in his blog, "This has been an epic failure and textbook example of how NOT to handle social media and an upset customer base." He took the fight to YouTube, where he opened with his patented "elevator speech" he recommends all ag advocates use.

     "Hello, my name is Troy Hadrick. I’m a fifth-generation United States rancher in South Dakota."

     Standing in front of a group of very content, but curious, black cows, he explained into the video camera how he cannot and will not support a company (Yellow Tail) that donates money to an organization (HSUS) with the stated goal of putting ranchers and farmers out of business.

     "This is the only thing I know to do with this last bottle of Yellow Tail wine that was in our house," Hadrick said as he turned it upside down and drained the contents on snow-covered ground. For the record, it took nine seconds to empty it, all while the camera was running.

     He closed by encouraging other consumers to do the same and thanked viewers for supporting American agriculture and the family farmers and ranchers of this country.

     Hadrick was not disrespectful. He was succinct and direct. During the first four days it was posted, 1,739 YouTube visitors watched it. I’d say Hadrick’s inherent credibility convinced many of them to follow suit and dump Yellow Tail. There are a thousand other wines out there to take its place.

     Closer to home, our growing militia of Kansas "agvocates" used Yellow Tail as a poster child illustrating the need for farmers and ranchers to speak out for their business. Jody Donohue, a ranch wife from Fredonia, wrote, "So you’ve wanted to become an agvocate, but didn’t really know what to do? Here’s your chance to jump in."

     She used her blog, web site, Twitter account and Facebook page to encourage civil protests on many levels. Donohue suggested followers go to Yellow Tail’s Facebook page and vow not to drink any more of the company’s wine. Many followed her advice. She also suggested telling restaurants and liquor stores Yellow Tail is intentionally working against American farmers and ranchers.

     "We definitely have their attention, but we need to see this through to the end," Donohue explained on her blog,
http://agopinion.blogspot.com/.

     Maybe Yellow Tail will come back to the ag advocacy movement with its tail between its legs if the company eventually understands the error of its ways. Regardless, I’m proud of the people who have recognized the need to step up and speak out for our business. Thanks, Yellow Tail, for giving our people a rallying point!