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In the book Good to Great, author Jim Collins identifies the characteristics of superior businesses. One common attribute of the most successful enterprises is that they have a clear understanding of what it is that "drives their economic engine."

What drives agriculture's economic engine? Most farmers would list smart management, new technology, good prices and favorable weather. They'd include tax policy, legislation, regulation and fair trade. But does that list include "positive public opinion"?

It should. Because in today's world, agriculture's financial viability is linked directly to how our industry is perceived. With so few in production agriculture, consumers must be farmers’ willing partners. Agriculture's influence, from the township hall to the White House, depends on how strongly its supported by the 98 percent of Americans who don't make their living on the farm.

Fortunately, people like farmers. Every time a new public opinion poll is taken, farmers are viewed as hard-working, honorable citizens who embody the values society admires. But as I wrote in my last column, John and Jane Q. Public are changing. They're disconnected from any farming heritage and are losing their depth of appreciation for what you do. Making matters worse are the forces working to turn public sentiment against you.

Remember the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) (of the Alar on apples infamy)? NRDC is still busy using scare-tactics to worry the public about pesticides. In its most recent fiscal year, NRDC spent $41.6 million spreading its messages. How about the Humane Society of the United States? One official's stated goal is "the abolition of all animal agriculture." Its latest financial report shows expenditures of $67.3 million. And then there’s Greenpeace, the group that created the term "Frankenfoods" to tarnish the biotech industry. Its latest yearly spending reached $23.7 million.

These people don’t like what farmers do, and they want the public to share their views. They're asking the public to endorse laws, regulations and policies that will be roadblocks to agricultural prosperity. And as the financial figures compiled by the Center for Consumer Freedom point out all too clearly, these people put their money, all $132 million of it, where their mouths are.

At first glance, the resources lined up against agriculture seem overwhelming. They're well motivated, organized and extremely well funded. But in this battle over public opinion, farmers aren't exactly defenseless. They’re pretty motivated too. And through groups like Farm Bureau, they’re very well organized. As for the funding, frankly, the opposition has an edge. But agriculture has something more important than money. It has the truth.

We know farmers use pesticides judiciously. We know livestock farms can be compatible with their neighbors. We realize new technology will benefit mankind. And we know an informed public will understand that its quality of life will come not by embracing extremes but rather by welcoming balance.

Our challenge then is to spread those truths. We have to reach out to a public that's increasingly less familiar with agriculture and constantly reassure the public it can have faith in farmers. To do that, we need a "public relations toolbox" that is up-to-date.

What tools do we have, what tools do we discard, and what tools should we consider adding? My personal belief is that our public relations toolbox needs a wide range of implements. We've always used manual tools: activities in which farmers meet their consumers face to face. Mall shows, fair displays, Food Check-Out Day and agriculture in the classroom projects are ones that come to mind. We also use power tools: the ones that deliver our messages to large audiences. These include Our Ohio magazine, billboards, radio ads and interaction with the media. We're even considering a statewide television program to bring consumers in closer contact with agriculture.

Whether they're labor intensive or capital intensive, Farm Bureau has put together a pretty good selection of public relations tools. Your job is to choose which ones you want to use and put them to work fine-tuning Ohio agriculture's economic engine.